Karnataka's Rs 600cr plan for Bengaluru sweeping machines catches internet's attention; BJP smells 'massive scandal': 'Math isn't mathing'

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar (PTI Photo)

The BJP has accused the Congress government in Karnataka of pushing through a suspicious and overpriced plan to hire 46 mechanical road-sweeping machines for seven years at a cost of Rs 613.25 crore.

The decision was cleared by the state Cabinet on Thursday.

Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje said on X that the scale of spending raises “serious doubts” about who stands to gain from the inflated costs, alleging that a "massive financial scandal is unfolding" in Karnataka.

“A massive financial scandal is unfolding in Karnataka. The Congress government has hired 46 road sweeping machines for 7 years at a shocking cost of Rs 613 crores. A self-propelled road sweeper costs about Rs 50 to 80 lakhs, which means 46 machines would come to roughly Rs 37 to 38 crores,” she said.

She added that even after accounting for staff salaries and maintenance, the total should not cross Rs 100 crore.

“Even after adding machines, manpower and maintenance, the entire cost should not exceed Rs 100 crores. Yet the government is spending Rs 613 crores. This raises serious doubts about where the remaining Rs 500 crores is going and who is benefiting from this inflated expenditure. I strongly urge the government to drop this proposal immediately and ensure full transparency for the people of Karnataka,” Karandlaje said.

Earlier, several citizens on social media had also questioned the estimated costs, with some noting that the math is not adding up. "The math is not mathing? Rent 46 sweeping machines at 1crore per year, for 7 years. How does that add up to 613 crores? Bigger question - will these be catching dust as the current 26 machines lying unused, because BBMP does not have money to "pay" money to the employees and the operator?" one user said on X.

Another wondered why the civic body is spending Rs 2 crore per year to rent a road-sweeping machine when the machines cost around Rs 60–70 lakh.

Karnataka Cabinet approves ₹613 Cr to RENT 46 sweeping machines for Bengaluru for 7 years.

Story continues below Advertisement

Remove Ad

The cost of KV 1600, RSR 6000 & Nilfisk ROS1300 costs around $15,000 to $20,000
46 machines * 20KUSD * 89 is approximately 8 crore.

H’ble @DKShivakumar , @kiranshaw ma’am why lease these… pic.twitter.com/rIOmbs6MHM

— Kiran Rajput (@_KiranRajput) November 15, 2025

According to a report in Deccan Herald, the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) sought the Cabinet’s approval to rent the sweeping machines for seven years. The total estimated cost is Rs 613.25 crore, with the amount being fully borne by the five newly created municipal corporations in Bengaluru.

Meanwhile, the newspaper quoted law minister HK Patil as saying that the decision was taken because purchasing the machines outright would require “huge initial expenditure.” The 46 machines will be deployed across the corporations to boost road-cleaning operations.

Initially, the GBA had proposed renting 59 machines at Rs 781 crore. The Urban Development Department later reduced the number to 46 while slightly increasing the cost per machine.

A technical committee led by KUIDFC managing director R Selvamani recommended purchasing the machines instead of renting them.

Two consulting firms were later asked to study the options. Boston Consulting Group (BCG) suggested that outright purchase would require heavy investment, estimating each machine with attachments at around Rs 3 crore. It proposed a hybrid model: 40% upfront payment and the rest linked to performance, the report said.

BCG also found that renting the machines would be Rs 50 lakh more expensive per vehicle.

Despite those recommendations, the Cabinet chose rental, citing high upfront costs.

Bengaluru currently has around 26 sweeping machines, but their output has been poor.