BENGALURU: Large apartment complexes are typically quick to pay their annual property tax to the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) when the payment portal opens in April. However, this year’s response in the first two weeks has been surprisingly slow. The confusion arises from unclear definitions and calculations surrounding bulk waste generators, hindering early tax payments.
There is ongoing confusion about solid waste management (SWM) charges, especially for apartment complexes that produce over 100 kg of waste per day. Although bulk waste generators can qualify for exemptions, they must declare their status on the property tax portal, which is proving to be a convoluted process. Due to the lack of clear guidance on the portal, many residents are turning to outside help to navigate it. This uncertainty has resulted in significant hesitation towards making tax payments.
According to revenue department sources, there are approximately 5,600 declared bulk waste-generating complexes, including commercial properties, varying in representation across Bengaluru. Residents and community groups are pushing for the simplification of the SWM section, the allowance for flexible data entry, expanded vendor options, and comprehensive guidelines to facilitate a smoother tax-filing experience.
“No household has been systematically measuring waste until now, yet we are expected to report exact daily quantities. Management committees lack this data as well. Without clarification on authorized vendors and reliable guidance, residents fear penalties for submitting incorrect information,” stated Goutham Kamath, a resident from Kanakapura Road.
Another local resident, Ravindranath Shenoy, remarked, “While filing property tax isn’t our main concern, the process is still confusing due to the waste-related data we need but don’t possess. Some residents are having to make educated guesses. My larger issue is that we were charged solid waste management fees last year whether we managed our waste ourselves or not. There’s been no clarity regarding refunds.”
“The system lacks logic. It expects individual homeowners to declare waste, even though waste management occurs at the apartment level through maintenance. Consequently, unrealistic inputs lead to inflated charges ranging from Rs 40,000 to Rs 60,000 in some instances. It’s unclear who holds responsibility or how pricing is determined, making it seem as if the rollout of this process was poorly considered,” commented Satish Malya, president of the Bengaluru Apartments’ Federation, in a conversation with TOI.
