Starting April 1, Bengaluru residents may face an increase in property taxes as the Karnataka government has approved the collection of a user fee from all domestic waste generators in the city, according to a report by Deccan Herald.
This new user fee will be added to the existing property tax, potentially adding to the financial burden on residents already coping with rising living costs. The announcement comes shortly after Namma Metro implemented a fare hike of 45 to 50 percent.
The proposal for this fee was initially submitted by Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Ltd (BSWML) in November last year. While an official order has not yet been issued, the Urban Development Department, led by Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, has given its approval. The collected fees will fund waste management services, including door-to-door waste collection and disposal. However, critics argue that these services are often poorly managed.
The user fee will be calculated based on property size and is divided into six slabs. According to Deccan Herald, the minimum fee will be Rs 10 per month (Rs 120 annually) for buildings up to 600 sq ft, while properties exceeding 4,000 sq ft will be charged up to Rs 400 per month (Rs 4,800 annually).
With this fee structure, the BSWML estimates that the total revenue generated could reach Rs 600 crore annually or even more. Additionally, bulk waste generators—such as apartment complexes and large commercial establishments—will be charged Rs 12 per kilogram of waste if they lack an empaneled waste processing agency or an on-site waste management system.
Despite the new user fee, the existing Solid Waste Management (SWM) Cess, which funds services like street sweeping and public space maintenance, will remain unchanged.