Following the recent 15% hike in property tax, the BMC decided to defer the proposed user fee for garbage collection, citing concerns about adding to citizens’ financial burden. Despite this, 49% of the public has shown support for implementing the user fee. Between April 1 and May 31, the BMC received a total of 2,774 suggestions and objections regarding draft of the Sanitation and Health By-laws 2025.
The draft, published on the BMC’s official website on April 1, invited feedback through multiple channels. A majority of responses 2,418 were received via the BMC’s chatbot, while additional inputs came through civic platforms (161), emails (102), townhall (25), and social media campaigns (22). Among the respondents, 49% expressed support for the introduction of a user fee for garbage collection, while 43% opposed it, calling the fee confusing and unnecessary.
Some citizens have questioned the need for an additional user fee for garbage collection, noting that property tax is already being paid. Among those who supported the fee, many suggested it should be lower in amount, while others urged the BMC to keep the garbage collection fee minimal or waive it altogether. However, a senior civic official clarified that "The proposed user fee is currently on hold, not canceled and may be reconsidered in the future."
The BMC has received feedback from a diverse cross-section of Mumbai’s population, including residents of high-rises, chawls, and slums, as well as NGOs and environmental groups. Regarding other fees, such as fines for littering in public places, 52% of citizens believe that imposing fines would help improve social behavior. However, 66% emphasised that fines should only be implemented once adequate facilities such as dustbins, sanitation, and toilets are in place. Additionally, 39% of respondents stressed the importance of daily waste segregation to improve the efficiency of waste management.
