Garbage Collection in Bengaluru Won’t Be Free Anymore? New Fee Proposed

The residents of Bengaluru, already frustrated by the recent increase in Namma Metro fares, are now facing another financial strain. The Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML) has proposed a new charge for garbage collection from households, with the goal of raising Rs 600 crore each year.

New Waste Collection Fee Structure

BSWML intends to implement a monthly user fee that varies from Rs 0 to Rs 400 based on the size of the residential building. The suggested fees are as follows:

• Up to 600 sq ft - Rs 10 per month
• 600 - 1000 sq ft - Rs 50 per month
• 1000 - 2000 sq ft - Rs 100 per month
• 2000 - 3000 sq ft - Rs 150 per month
• 3000 - 4000 sq ft - Rs 200 per month
• Above 4000 sq ft - Rs 400 per month (totaling Rs 4800 annually)

This user fee charge is expected to noticeably increase the annual property tax burden on homeowners. BSWML anticipates that the user fee will yield approximately Rs 600 crore per year; however, this amount could increase in the future.

BSWML aims to impose this fee to manage the costs associated with collecting and disposing of waste from each household in the city. A detailed proposal about the charges will be submitted to the Urban Development Department for approval shortly.

Garbage Crisis Worsens in Bengaluru

At the same time, Bengaluru is struggling with a significant waste management crisis due to the closure of the Mittaganahalli garbage dumping site. Local residents have blocked around 600 garbage trucks from disposing of waste in nearby quarries, resulting in waste piling up in various areas of the city. Previously, 65% of Bengaluru's waste was deposited in these quarries, but ongoing protests have halted waste collection services in many neighborhoods.

As Bengaluru residents prepare for the implications of this new garbage collection fee, they are also confronting escalating difficulties due to the deteriorating waste disposal situation.