From Spitting To Debris Dumping: BMC Hikes Fines Under New Bylaws; Check Details

Nearly two decades after the last revision, the BMC has rolled out the Solid Waste (Management and Handling), Cleanliness and Sanitation Bylaws, 2025, enforcing stricter rules to improve waste management and sanitation across Mumbai. Under the new rules, violators face fines of Rs. 250 for spitting in public, Rs. 500 for littering, Rs. 200 for failing to segregate wet and dry waste, and Rs. 25,000 for transporting construction debris without permission. The revised fines and penalties came into effect from Monday.

Higher penalties proposed earlier

In 2024, the BMC began drafting SWM bylaws proposing mandatory user fees for garbage collection, a tenfold increase in fines for open garbage burning, and higher penalties for dumping construction debris in public spaces. While the user fee has been postponed, the revised bylaws sharply raise fines for littering, urination, defecation, and public bathing, increasing them two- to threefold. Housing societies or establishments generating over 100 kg of waste daily or occupying more than 5,000 sq m—classified as Bulk Waste Generators (BWGs)—now face a doubled fine of Rs. 1,000 for failing to segregate and process wet waste on-site.

Enforcement mechanism revamped

Meanwhile, the Clean-Up Marshals scheme, first launched in 2007 and implemented sporadically since, was officially scrapped on April 4, 2025, ending an era of inconsistent enforcement. To strengthen compliance, the BMC has appointed 246 junior engineers to oversee and enforce penalties in their respective areas. Dr. Ashwini Joshi, additional municipal commissioner (city) said, "The bylaws apply to all waste generators and public or private spaces, including residential, commercial, industrial, government, educational, and recreational sites. They cover prohibiting littering, ensuring clean spaces, waste segregation, storage and disposal, and responsibilities of producers and authorities, biomedical, e-waste, construction, and plastic waste. Citizens and establishments are urged to maintain cleanliness and cooperate with the BMC."

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Revised fine structure

Littering on roads, lanes, footpaths, gardens, or public places – Rs. 500
Spitting in public – Rs. 250
Bathing in open/public areas – Rs. 300
Urination in public – Rs. 500
Defecation in public – Rs. 500
Feeding animals or birds in open/public spaces – Rs. 500
Washing utensils, clothes, or other items in public places – Rs. 300
Washing vehicles in public areas – Rs. 500
Failing to keep courtyards clean – Rs. 500 for property/resident, Rs. 1,500 for others
Not segregating waste before disposal – Rs. 200 for individuals, Rs. 1,000 for large-scale waste generators
Dumping construction and demolition waste at unauthorized locations – Rs. 20,000 per consignment
Transporting construction and demolition waste without permission – Rs. 25,000 per consignment
Not segregating dry waste separately – Rs. 200
Failure to maintain garden waste or tree pruning as prescribed – Rs. 200
Burning waste for commercial purposes or in large quantities – Rs. 10,000
Not segregating fish, poultry, or meat waste – Rs. 750
Vendors without containers/bins for waste – Rs. 750
Vendors/fair stall operators not segregating waste – Rs. 750
Not keeping the front drain (house gutter) clean – Rs. 500
Pet animals spreading waste or defecating – Rs. 1,000
Failure to clean public gatherings/events within 4 hours – confiscation of cleanliness deposit.

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