Bengaluru’s ‘Garbage Tax’ nets ₹350 crore in just two months: Report

Bengaluru’s newly introduced “garbage tax” has generated a staggering ₹350 crore within just two months, nearly half of the projected annual revenue, Deccan Herald reported. 

The amount was collected as a solid waste management (SWM) fee attached to property tax bills since April 1.

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), which has been collecting the fee on behalf of Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Ltd (BSWML), confirmed that the response to the levy has far outpaced expectations. In May alone, the SWM user fee brought in ₹230 crore, contributing to a total of ₹2,600 crore in property tax collections over April and May, the report added.

BSWML, the agency overseeing the city’s waste management, has already drawn up an ambitious plan to utilise the funds. Among the priorities are the deployment of upgraded auto-tippers for door-to-door garbage pickup and a revamp of the waste transportation system. The civic agency is planning to appoint a single private firm to manage wet, dry, and sanitary waste across major assembly constituencies, a contract valued at ₹540 crore annually, the DH report further added.

Additionally, the city is expected to see new integrated waste processing facilities coming up in four zones. Although the state cabinet has greenlit the initiative, financial details are awaited. 

A separate project to handle construction and demolition debris is also underway, but has come under scrutiny after a single firm reportedly won all five related tenders.

The garbage tax is calculated based on the built-up area of residential properties. The monthly fee structure is as follows:

Up to 600 sq ft: ₹10

600–1,000 sq ft: ₹50

1,000–2,000 sq ft: ₹100

2,000–3,000 sq ft: ₹150

3,000–4,000 sq ft: ₹200

Above 4,000 sq ft: ₹400

Urge to withdraw SWM fee

The Bengaluru NavaNirmana Party (BNP), a local political outfit, has launched the #IWontPay campaign, calling the garbage tax unjustified in the absence of elected BBMP representatives. The group is demanding that the government first hold long-pending civic elections and release detailed project reports and audited financials before collecting any new fees.

Meanwhile, BJP leaders have also urged BBMP officials to withdraw the SWM fee, citing financial strain on both households and businesses.

Source: Hindustan Times