Bengaluru garbage tax from April 1: Know rules and why you need to pay
The new fee will be collected alongside property tax and is expected to generate an additional revenue of Rs 750 crore annually
 "Bengaluru garbage tax from April 1: Know rules and why you need to pay")
Starting April 1, residents of Bengaluru will have to pay a Solid Waste Management (SWM) user fee, a new levy imposed by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to improve waste collection and disposal services across the city. The fee will be collected alongside property tax and is expected to generate an additional revenue of Rs 750 crore annually, according to a report by Hindustan Times.
What fee will be levied
The fee structure varies based on the built-up area of residential properties:
Up to 600 sq ft: ₹10 per month
600–1,000 sq ft: ₹50 per month
1,000–2,000 sq ft: ₹100 per month
2,000–3,000 sq ft: ₹150 per month
3,000–4,000 sq ft: ₹200 per month
Above 4,000 sq ft: ₹400 per month
Bulk waste generators who fail to implement in-situ waste processing will incur an additional ₹12 per kg of waste, while those opting for in-situ composting will receive a rebate of ₹3 per kg.
Why is the garbage tax introduced?
To strengthen Bengaluru’s waste management infrastructure, BBMP has allocated Rs 1,400 crore to the Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML).
Under this project, several planned initiatives will be introduced including:
- 27 transfer stations to eliminate black spots.
- Material recovery facility with a 1,226 metric tonnes per day (MTPD) processing capacity, costing ₹104 crore.
- 50 MTPD Bio-CNG unit and a 300 MTPD plant in collaboration with Gas Authority of India Ltd.
- Four biomethanisation plants and an 8 MTPD animal waste rendering and incineration facility.
- Three sanitary waste processing plants, each with a 25 MTPD capacity.
- Pilot project with the Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering and Technology to process 5 tonnes per day of plastic and e-waste.
Public response and concerns
The move has sparked debate among citizens, especially as it comes after price hikes in milk, electricity, and public transport fares in Karnataka.
According to a report by the Deccan Herald, Poongothai Paramasivam, governing council member of the Bengaluru NavaNirmana Party (BNP), questioned the need for an additional fee. He said, “BBMP has abundant funds. Before considering a user fee, it must justify why the existing budget is insufficient. Where is the money going? Why is there no audit or public disclosure of SWM expenditures?”
BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath defended the move, stating, “We hope to generate at least ₹750 crore from the user fee. The remaining amount will be provided to BSWML from our other revenue sources.” He mentioned that last year, BSWML received ₹1,085 crore from BBMP.
The Bengaluru civic body has also indicated that from the 2025-26 fiscal year, the SWM user fee will be collected as part of property tax payments. While Swachh Survekshan guidelines allow urban local bodies to collect a user fee for waste management, it is not mandatory.