Mumbai: BMC Proposes ‘Garbage Tax’ to Fund Waste Management Overhaul
Mumbai residents may soon have to pay a ‘user fee’ for solid waste management as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) plans to introduce a garbage tax to fund the city’s massive waste collection, transportation, and processing systems. The proposed fee, estimated at ₹687 crore annually from residential properties alone, aims to modernize waste management infrastructure and improve service delivery.
The BMC has received legal approval to implement the fee and will soon begin stakeholder consultations to gather public feedback. A senior BMC official stated, “We will call for suggestions and objections in the coming days before finalizing the plan.”
The move will require revising Mumbai’s solid waste management bye-laws, which haven’t been updated in nearly two decades. The current regulations, governed by the Greater Mumbai Cleanliness and Sanitation Bye-laws, 2006, will be replaced by a comprehensive set of rules aligning with national and state-level waste management laws, including the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, and Maharashtra’s 2019 bye-laws.
What Will Residents Pay?
Under the draft rules, residential units will be charged monthly fees based on property size: ₹100 for homes up to 50 sq m, ₹500 for areas up to 300 sq m, and ₹1,000 for properties larger than 300 sq m. Commercial establishments, clinics, and event halls will face higher charges, starting at ₹500.
The BMC justifies the fee by citing Mumbai’s growing population and daily waste generation of 7,500 tonnes. The city’s per capita expenditure on solid waste management (SWM) is ₹3,141, significantly higher than Pune (₹1,724), Kolkata (₹1,584), and Bengaluru (₹1,335). “Other cities already charge SWM fees, and Mumbai is catching up,” the official added.
Stricter Rules and Penalties
The new bye-laws will also impose stricter penalties for public offenses like littering, spitting, and improper waste disposal. Additionally, complaint redressal mechanisms will be introduced, allowing residents to file grievances with their ward’s assistant commissioner within 30 days.
Atin Biswas, a solid waste management expert at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), noted, “It’s surprising Mumbai didn’t have a user fee earlier. Doorstep waste collection and processing are costly services, and it’s reasonable for the civic body to charge for them.”
Once stakeholder consultations are complete, the draft bye-laws will be presented to the state legislative assembly for approval.
