In Bengaluru, solid waste management has become a double burden for many citizens. From homeowners in Indiranagar to hoteliers in Whitefield, complaints are rising about being charged twice—once through the official BBMP Solid Waste Management (SWM) cess, and again by local garbage collectors demanding cash for doorstep pickups.
Residents say they pay Rs 50 to Rs 1,000 monthly to collectors—often informally—despite BBMP now mandating a user fee through property tax. “It feels like double taxation,” said Shyamala James, a resident, adding, “If we don’t pay, our waste is skipped.”
The BBMP claims the cess was designed to replace these unofficial payments and create transparency. “No one should pay extra. If anyone demands money, report them,” said Harish Kumar, CEO of Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Ltd. But on the ground, the practice persists due to fear of missed pickups and accumulating waste.
The issue is more severe for hotels and restaurants. The revised cess, effective April 1, 2025, has increased tenfold for some—from Rs 1,200 to over Rs 15,000 annually—yet many still pay Rs 5,000 monthly to waste collectors. “Margins are thin, and this is unsustainable,” said Subrahmanya Holla of the Bengaluru Hotels Association, which has taken the issue to court.
Despite BBMP’s claim that no private vendors have been appointed in three years, residents and businesses feel trapped in a system that offers no clarity, no accountability, and no real alternatives.
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