Mumbai: In the wake of the recent property tax hike of up to 15%, the BMC has decided to defer the proposed rollout of its proposed user fee for solid waste collection—ranging from Rs 100 to Rs 7,500 per month—under the new solid waste by-laws.In its 2025-26 budget presented in Feb 2025, the BMC had proposed levying user fees on residential and commercial properties, through which it had expected to generate an annual revenue of Rs 687 crore. TOI was the first to report on Dec 14, 2024, that the civic body was planning to introduce such a charge.“Taking into account the additional financial burden on citizens due to the revised property tax bills, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and deputy chief minister and urban development minister Eknath Shinde had recommended a reconsideration of the proposed solid waste management (SWM) charges. Accordingly, the BMC has decided to defer the implementation of SWM charges,” said the BMC in a statement on Thursday.The move to charge a user fee had faced stern opposition from Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress party leaders in Mumbai. Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray had questioned as to why Mumbaikars should pay for the obligatory duty of the municipality to collect waste as mandated in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act 1888.Gaikwad meanwhile said the BMC was imposing charges on collection, instead of focusing on timely and efficient collection of solid waste.Mumbai generates 7,000-8,000 metric tonne of solid waste daily, a majority of which ends up at the Kanjurmarg dumping ground and a smaller portion at the Deonar landfill. The proposed user fees for solid waste management were to cover residential properties, commercial establishments and educational institutions, and ranged from Rs 100 a month for residential properties with less than 50-square-metre built-up space to Rs 7,500 for hotels with more than three stars and marriage halls, festival halls, exhibitions and fairs over 3,000 sq m. They were to be incorporated in new solid waste by-laws.The draft solid waste bylaws, proposed to replace the ones from 2006, are currently uploaded on the BMC’s website. Citizens can review the draft and submit their suggestions/objections till May 31 via email to bmc.swmbyelaws2025@gmail.com or in writing to solid waste management’s head office.So far, BMC has received almost 376 suggestions and objections to its proposed by- laws on user fee as well as increased fines for littering and urinating in public spaces which could cost Rs 500, up from Rs 200 as per the by-laws 2006.Officials said Mumbai has a high per capita expense for solid waste management at Rs 3,141, significantly higher than other cities.