KUWAIT CITY, Aug 24: Kuwait’s acting Municipality Director, Manal Al-Asfour, announced plans to modernize public cleaning operations with new contracts incorporating smart technology, including drones and 360-degree cameras, to monitor cleanliness in desert areas, agricultural holdings, and chalet zones.

Al-Asfour said the municipality has set garbage collection times from 6 p.m. to midnight and requires cleaning companies to display removal schedules on vehicles and equipment to inform residents and ensure compliance.

She added that failure by homeowners to adhere to waste schedules could trigger actions under Ministerial Resolution No. 354 of 2023, while cleaning companies face fines for negligence or failure to implement contract clauses.

The contracts, lasting five years and renewable, specify the number of workers per area, including vehicle operators, equipment handlers, manual sweepers, and general services staff, with eight-hour workdays.

Al-Asfour noted that 19 tender agreements for city and public cleaning operations have been prepared by the Public Cleanliness Committee in coordination with an environmental consulting firm. The documents are now under legal review before submission to the Ministry of Finance for approval and cost adoption.

Key improvements in the new contracts include:

Al-Asfour described the upgrades as part of a broader effort to enhance municipal services, ensure environmental hygiene, and improve operational efficiency across Kuwait.