Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike waives Solid Waste Management user fee for bulk waste generators

Bengaluru: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has exempted certain bulk waste generators from paying newly-introduced Solid Waste Management (SWM) user fee, commonly known as garbage tax. The exemption, however, was operationalised on BBMP's property tax portal only Monday, days after the civic body began collecting property tax for the year 2025-26.
This exemption is available to bulk waste generators that do not depend on BBMP's waste collection services. It can be claimed while paying property tax online. However, eligibility for the exemption is conditional. BBMP has defined bulk waste generators as properties that fall into one of three categories: commercial and institutional establishments, generating more than 100kgs of waste per day, properties that are spread over more than 53,820 sqft, and residential complexes with over 100 dwelling units.
However, not all properties that meet these definitions automatically qualify for exemption. To avail of the benefit, a property must either compost its daily waste on-site or have partnered with authorised vendors. Once the exemption is claimed, BBMP officials will inspect the property to verify these claims. If the apartment or office is found to be using BBMP's waste services or not managing its waste in compliance with the rules, the exemption will be denied. Officials are also considering penalising properties that make false declarations to claim the waiver.
Independent houses that compost their waste have also asked for similar exemptions, but BBMP has ruled it out, saying inspecting individual households across the city is impractical.
While some apartment residents welcomed the move, others are facing glitches on the portal. Pavan Vasista, a member of Change Makers of Kanakapura Road, said, "Although the exemption under Section 12(a) has been enabled, the system is not allowing them to enter waste volume details. With April 30 being the deadline to avail the 5% rebate on property tax, many could miss out due to technical issues."
Another resident and vice-president of Bangalore Apartment Federation (BAF), Satish Mallya, said: "Earlier, we were charged Rs 1,200 annually as a user fee. With the exemption now in place, we are relieved, especially since we long argued that the earlier user fee — which could go up to Rs 12 per kilo for unsegregated wet waste — was too high."
He added bulk generators who don't manage their wet waste in-house are still being charged at Rs 2 per kg for dry waste and Rs 12 for wet waste, and BBMP should consider reviewing the system based on actual volumes of waste generated.
Smaller apartment buildings that lack in-house composting systems continue to be liable for SWM user fee. "While the exemption is a step forward for large communities that invested in waste processing infrastructure, BBMP needs to ensure the online process is glitch-free and transparent, especially for those racing against tax rebate deadline," said Aniket Hedge, resident of Banashakari Stage VI.
A senior BBMP official told TOI said they would look into the matter. "While we do not have a proper clarity on how to resolve this, we need to internally discuss the issue and see if it can be adjusted later," said the official.
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Residents who already paid property tax concerned
While the collection of property tax for 2025-26 with a hefty SWM user fee started early April, the exemption from the garbage levy option for bulk waste generators was opened only on Monday, leaving residents who had already paid up ruing.
"While better sense has prevailed upon BBMP to introduce an option to self declare if the tax payer is a bulk generator or not, a lot of apartment owners in townships and large complexes are unaware of this and are paying their taxes with a SWM user fee. Further, there are concerns from apartment owners as to what happens to those who have already paid SWM user fee before BBMP introduced the bulk generator clause," a resident of a North Bengaluru apartment complex said.