LUCKNOW, June 27 -- The Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) is set to transfer road sweeping responsibilities in five out of eight city zones to the same private firm that currently manages door-to-door waste collection in those areas. This transition, marking a structural change in the city's sanitation system, will bring approximately 1,200 contractual sanitation workers under the private agency's payroll. The formalities are nearly complete, and a work order will be issued soon. Once implemented, the private firm will begin sweeping nearly 500 kilometres of main roads across the five zones using its vehicles and manpower, an LMC official said on Thursday. According to officials, during a trial phase, the company deployed its fleet on VIP and key routes. Following satisfactory performance, LMC approved full-scale deployment. Under the new model, the company will assign drivers, helpers, and sanitation workers zone-wise, with workforce allocation planned per kilometre. A high-level meeting to finalise the remaining processes was held on Wednesday. The meeting, chaired by the additional municipal commissioner, was attended by zonal sanitation officers and other senior staff. The handover will also involve transitioning the current 1,200 contractual sweepers to the private firm's management. LMC officials clarified that the contract with the firm will include a provision to absorb existing staff, ensuring that no worker is laid off during the shift. "The work order will specify that all present workers must be retained by the agency," a senior official said. "This will prevent any job loss and maintain continuity of services." The proposal was first introduced during the tenure of former municipal commissioner Inderjit Singh. A committee was set up to examine its viability, but the plan was paused after several corporators voiced objections during House meetings, citing concerns over outsourcing core civic functions and the private firm's reliability. However, with the pilot phase completed and preparations in place, LMC has now revived the plan. Despite official assurances, some sanitation workers remain wary. "We have been sweeping roads for years under LMC. What happens if the private company doesn't renew our contracts or pays less?" said one contractual worker. In response, an official said discussions are ongoing to safeguard jobs. "We are exploring all options to ensure no worker is left out. Either they will be taken in by the firm or reassigned to other duties," he said. HT attempted to contact municipal commissioner Gaurav Kumar for information about the cost of the new arrangement, but he was unavailable for comment....