A comprehensive transformation of Mumbai’s solid waste management (SWM) system has been initiated by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), bringing major shifts in how waste is collected, processed, and paid for in one of the world’s most densely populated urban centres.
The city, which generates nearly 7,300 metric tonnes of waste daily, had been operating under outdated SWM byelaws last revised in 2006. With new central mandates covering different types of waste—ranging from plastics to e-waste—and growing pressures of space scarcity and financial strain, the BMC has responded by publishing a new draft of SWM byelaws in April this year. These changes have been opened up for public feedback. Among the major provisions is the introduction of a user fee, starting at ₹100 per household, and stricter enforcement of segregation norms. Although many of the proposed changes had been issued earlier through circulars, enforcement had remained partial. For example, only 36% of bulk waste generators were reported to be treating their wet waste as required, according to a report by Praja Foundation.
The user charge has emerged as the most contentious element in the draft, despite being mandated under the 2016 Solid Waste Management Rules. Officials have attributed the delay in implementation to the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and political instability. It was only after the 2024 state elections that a semblance of administrative stability enabled renewed action. It was explained by officials that the user fee should not be considered a tax, as it would be ring-fenced for SWM-related expenses. However, experts have cautioned that the BMC must provide transparency in its financial planning, especially if monthly charges per household rise to ₹500 or more.
A structural shift is also underway in the method of waste collection. The BMC, which had followed a hybrid model involving its staff and outsourced compactors, is transitioning to a fully service-based contract model. The current contracts, now at their expiry, will be replaced with ones where contractors will be responsible for vehicles, bins, manpower, and even complaint management systems. This model is expected to lower the cost of collection per tonne from ₹3,627 to ₹2,864.
Eight contractors will oversee the city’s waste management across its wards, with each contractor handling multiple zones. Unlike earlier systems where contractors were paid per shift and trip, they will now be compensated based on the weight of waste collected—an approach aimed at enhancing accountability and reducing complaints. Concerns have been raised by environmentalists and experts about centralised waste collection. A decentralised model was recommended to reduce dependency on single sites and promote localized recycling. The importance of awareness campaigns to support effective segregation at source was also emphasised.
To support segregation efforts, the BMC has begun volunteer-based collection of sanitary, pet, and e-waste. Contractors will also be responsible for gradually removing community bins and increasing public participation in door-to-door waste sorting. The city’s dry waste segregation centres (DWSCs) are set for upgrades, with a proposal under review to modernise five to ten centres with machinery to improve efficiency and throughput. Currently, NGOs manually sort waste at 56 centres.
Meanwhile, the city’s dumping grounds face uncertainty. The Bombay High Court recently declared a large part of the Kanjurmarg landfill as protected forest, a ruling the BMC plans to challenge in the Supreme Court. Concurrently, a three-year bioremediation project is being launched to process 18.5 million tonnes of legacy waste at Deonar, even as land from the same site has been earmarked for the Dharavi Redevelopment Project. Despite the ambitious goals, the effectiveness of these reforms hinges on their implementation. The BMC estimates that the new user charges alone could bring in ₹687 crore annually. In return, the civic body will be expected to deliver more reliable and advanced waste services across Mumbai.