Mumbai News: BMC Halts Implementation Of Garbage Collection User Fee Amid Property Tax Hike Concerns

Mumbai: The BMC has put the implementation of the proposed 'User Fee' for garbage collection on hold. The decision followed after the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister and Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde, directed a review in light of the additional financial burden on citizens caused by the revised property tax bills.

Under the proposed Cleanliness and Sanitation bylaws 2025, houses and commercial establishments up to 50 sq m will have to pay Rs 100 per month; houses between 50-300 sq mt will be charged Rs 500 per month; and houses larger than 300 sq mt will have to shell out Rs 1,000 per month, while hotels and clinics will be charged between Rs 1,500 and Rs 7,500.

The BMC had invited suggestions and objections on the proposed user fee for garbage collection, penalties for littering and spitting in public, and on garbage segregation between April 1 to May 31.

The BMC received over a thousand suggestions and objections regarding the proposed user fee for garbage collection, submitted online and via WhatsApp. While most citizens opposed the new charge arguing that they already pay property tax, some demanded strict fines for violations of Solid Waste Management rules.

With the recent 15% property tax hike sparking strong reactions from citizens and political parties, many viewed the additional user fee as unfair. On Thursday, following Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s directive, civic authorities put the fee’s implementation on hold.

Vinod Gholap of the Fight for Right Foundation called the move “a great relief for common citizens already burdened by rising taxes.” However, a civic official noted, “The user fee is legally mandated. Cities like Bangalore and Pune have already implemented it.”