Bengaluru Expands Waste Collection Vendor Network Following Apartment Complex Backlash
In a significant policy shift, Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Ltd (BSWML) is actively planning to empanel four additional vendors for bulk waste collection across the city. This strategic move comes as a direct response to substantial pushback and vocal opposition from numerous apartment complexes, who raised serious concerns about potential monopolistic practices and exorbitant rate increases.
Monopoly Concerns Spark Immediate Action
The controversy ignited when BSWML officially notified Mukha Protein as the sole empanelled vendor for bulk waste collection in Bengaluru's north and east zones. Multiple apartment complexes subsequently received formal notices instructing them to exclusively sign agreements with Mukha Protein and transfer all their waste management operations to this single provider. This directive triggered immediate alarm within residential communities, with residents and Resident Welfare Association (RWA) members highlighting the creation of an artificial monopoly in the critical sector of bulk waste management.
"This is clearly becoming a monopoly," stated an RWA member from a prominent north Bengaluru apartment complex. "Apartments are being pushed to engage with just one empanelled vendor, and that's not how bulk waste management should function. Typically, apartment complexes call for multiple competitive quotations, but now we are being told there is only one option with a fixed rate of Rs 12 per kilogram, which represents a dramatic increase from the earlier Rs 2–3 per kg. Introducing multiple vendors would empower bulk waste generators with genuine negotiation power on pricing."
Official Response and Planned Expansion
Addressing these widespread concerns, BSWML Managing Director Karee Gowda clarified that the system was never designed to establish a monopoly. "We will eventually have five empanelled vendors corresponding to the five municipal corporations in Bengaluru," Gowda explained. "Currently, one vendor is mapped to each corporation primarily for operational clarity and administrative simplicity. We have received multiple formal representations from stakeholders and will soon initiate tender processes to add four more empanelled vendors, thereby expanding choice and competition."
The Bengaluru Apartment Federation (BAF) has also formally urged BSWML to reconsider the mandated Rs 12 per kg rate specifically for wet waste collection. A BAF representative emphasized, "Currently, waste is being collected at significantly lower rates by existing vendors. Now apartment complexes are being forced to shift to a single vendor with absolutely no guarantee against potential price exploitation. Providing multiple vendor options will genuinely help bulk waste generators secure competitive and fair pricing through market dynamics."
Infrastructure Challenges and Accountability Framework
A senior BSWML official revealed that approximately forty applications were received during the initial tender process, but the majority lacked the necessary processing infrastructure required for efficient waste management. "Calling for tenders is not the primary challenge," the official noted. "The real difficulty lies in identifying and onboarding vendors with proper, operational processing plants. Furthermore, assigning one vendor per corporation helps us establish clear accountability and enables swift intervention if complaints or operational issues arise."
Direct Engagement and Alternative Payment Options
While some apartment complexes expressed a preference for BSWML to directly manage waste collection, the government agency clarified that this option would only be permitted if bulk waste generators agree to pay the official user fee. This fee is fixed at Rs 12 per kg for wet waste and Rs 2 per kg for dry waste, as per established regulations.
According to the Solid Waste Management By-laws of 2020, bulk waste generators are legally required to process waste on-site and hand over dry and other categories of waste exclusively to empanelled vendors authorized by the civic body. However, BSWML has confirmed that if bulk waste generators are unwilling to engage with empanelled vendors, they can alternatively pay the user fee directly to BSWML, which will then assume responsibility for waste collection.
Currently, bulk waste generators can seek exemption from the Solid Waste Management user fee while filing property tax by formally declaring their existing waste collection arrangements and specifying the empanelled vendor they are associated with. A senior BSWML official, however, cautioned that managing bulk waste collection alongside regular door-to-door services presents significant logistical challenges. "The by-law strongly prefers vendor engagement for efficiency, but we can still collect waste if the user fee is paid directly. Given our existing infrastructure limitations, our capacity to handle all bulk waste citywide remains constrained," the official concluded.
