Will Bengaluru Municipal Corporation’s Garbage Tax Add to Homeowners’ Financial Burden?
Bengaluru’s municipal body, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), has introduced a new Solid Waste Management (SWM) user fee—popularly known as the garbage tax—aimed at covering the costs of garbage collection, transportation, processing, and disposal.
The fee, which ranges from ₹10 to ₹400 per month depending on the size of the property, applies to all homeowners, including those living in independent houses, apartments, and even vacant plots.
Experts say the new levy, along with the recently introduced parking tax, is likely to increase the financial burden on city residents by as much as 30-40%.
Also Read: Bengaluru’s municipal corporation achieves 88% of property tax revenue target, issues 2.25 lakh e-Khatas
How is the garbage tax calculated?
According to a BBMP circular, the fee will be charged based on the built-up area of a property. Independent homes will pay a monthly cess ranging from ₹10 for houses up to 600 sq ft to ₹400 for those over 4,000 sq ft. Bulk waste generators who don’t use authorised waste processing services will be charged ₹12 per kg of waste, while those using in-situ composting methods will get a ₹3 per kg discount.
Solid waste management for vacant land or plots will be charged at ₹0.6 per sq ft per year, the circular added.
Also Read: Bengaluru’s proposed changes in parking tax system may lead to higher tax liabilities for homeowners, say experts
How will it impact homeowners?
Experts say some larger apartment complexes already have private vendors managing waste collection. “Now, with the new BBMP fee, this becomes an added charge for owners—unless they choose to discontinue private services. There’s no clarity yet, but we expect the overall property tax burden to go up by at least 10–20%,” said Valli Srinivasan, a member of the Bangalore Apartments Federation (BAF).
Anil Kalgi, Secretary of the Bangalore City Flat Owners’ Association (BCFOA), said that earlier, waste management was part of the BBMP’s regular services. “Now, residents will have to pay extra for it as a part of property tax, and this could increase their tax burden by as much as 30% to 40%,” he said.
BBMP’s Prior Move: Tax on Parking Spaces
Starting April 1, BBMP rolled out a new property tax calculation method for covered and stilt parking areas in buildings across the IT capital.
Under the revised Unit Area Value (UAV) rates, residential building owners will be charged 20% of the parking area at ₹2 per sq ft for 10 months, totalling ₹600 per month. For non-residential areas, the UAV will be charged 25% of the parking space area for 10 months.
Real estate experts told HT.com that Bengaluru’s revised parking tax structure may lead to higher tax liabilities for homeowners. The new tax system, introduced under the UAV method, calculates parking charges based on a standardized rate per square foot, replacing the earlier zonal classification system.
