Mumbaikars will soon have to pay the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to avail the services of garbage collection from outside their homes. The BMC has started the administrative process to amend the bylaws for this purpose.
The move comes as part of a plan to set up an independent authority for solid waste management. The BMC administration has been tasked with collecting taxes to fund this initiative. The proposed fee for individuals is expected to range from Rs. 1 to Rs. 5.
Currently, garbage collection is a fundamental duty of the BMC under the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, of 1888. The existing system involves door-to-door collection managed by BMC employees and contractors. Therefore, the BMC has started preparing to charge a fee for this.
The BMC is consulting the Law Department, Tax Policy and Collection to determine the amount of tax for garbage collection. Following approval by the BMC Commissioner, public feedback will be sought through objections and suggestions. A final decision will be taken based on the feedback received.
The BMC is studying the practices of the Kalyan-Dombivli and Vasai-Virar municipalities, which already levy special cleaning taxes. A similar tax collection is being proposed for Mumbai.
Citizens have raised concerns about the effectiveness of the proposed fee in addressing existing garbage collection issues. Over 4,000 complaints regarding uncollected garbage were registered in 2022 alone, with over 35,000 complaints lodged in the last decade. Concerns also exist about whether the fee will apply only to housing societies and complexes.