Door-to-door garbage collection: SMC to roll out QR code system

Siliguri: Taking another major step towards keeping the city clean, the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) has decided to introduce a QR code–based monitoring system for door-to-door garbage collection. Under this initiative, location-based QR codes will be provided to every household within the municipal area to ensure transparency and efficiency in waste collection.

With the new system in place, the Siliguri Municipal Corporation and the agency responsible for solid waste management, State Urban Development Agency (SUDA) will be able to directly monitor whether garbage is being collected regularly from each household. During collection, sanitation workers will scan the QR code, automatically recording details such as the location and time of collection.

“A similar system was introduced in Basirhat nearly a year ago and has yielded positive results in improving door-to-door services. After reviewing the on-ground success of that model, we have decided to replicate the initiative in the city. It will help us manage garbage collection more efficiently by maintaining proper data.

I will closely monitor the project,” said Manik Dey, the member of mayor-in-council (MMIC) of the Conservancy department of SMC. At present, a total of 124 people are engaged in waste management activities across various wards under the SMC, working as Nirmal Bandhu and Nirmal Sathi.

They regularly visit households to collect garbage and spread awareness among residents, especially on segregating dry and wet waste.

Due to these efforts, a noticeable improvement in public awareness has already been observed in several parts of the city.

To make the system more transparent and accountable, the QR code mechanism will be introduced. Once scanned by a Nirmal Sathi or Nirmal Bandhu during waste collection, the data will be instantly logged, allowing real-time supervision by SUDA and SMC authorities.