Bengaluru's new "garbage tax" is now under review. The cess on garbage introduced from April 1, as the “user fee” by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), is in addition to the existing solid waste management (SWM) levy being collected along with the property tax. However, a flaw in the tax formula based on the built-up area is now being debated.
As per the new formula, independent residential properties will pay a monthly garbage cess of ₹10 (for up to 600 sqft) to ₹400 (for above 4,000 sq ft). The bulk waste generators (apartments, commercial properties) who don’t avail of the services of an authorised waste processing agency, will now be charged ₹12 per kg and those opting for in-situ composting will be eligible for a rebate of ₹3 per kg.
Former corporators and civic activists have pointed out that the garbage cess should be calculated on the basis of garbage generated (per capita) and not on the built-up area. For instance, a 2400-sq ft house with only two people generates less garbage than a family of 10 living in a 600-sqft house. The officials are now reworking the formula to factor in these aspects, said a former corporator.
The BBMP, in its recent budget (2025-26), with an outlay of ₹19,927 crore has allocated ₹1,400 crore to the Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML) for waste collection, transportation, segregation, landfill development, and maintenance of waste processing units. It is hoping to generate an annual revenue of ₹750 crore from the new garbage tax, citing the provisions of Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 that allows urban local bodies (ULBs) to levy user fees or SWM cess. The Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) guidelines also suggest that municipal corporations collect user fees for solid waste management.
“Citizens are already burdened by multiple taxes, and adding user fee for solid waste management is unjustifiable, especially when the BBMP has over ₹12,000 crore collected as SWM cess,” said members of the Bengaluru Navanirmana Party (BNP), advocating for transparency and accountability.
BNP also expressed concern over the BBMP making crucial decisions in the absence of an elected body (since September 2020) and urged the citizens to resist this proposed user fee until the BBMP provides a full disclosure of its expenditures and resource allocation.
“Bengaluru has 20 lakh registered residential properties and 6.5 lakh commercial properties. The citizens will be burdened by a flawed formula. While, the Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) has already adopted the user fee policy, the metro cities are yet to consider it,” said BJP leader NR Ramesh.