Steeper fines for civic offences under new bye-laws

Announcing the Solid Waste Management and Handling, Cleanliness and Sanitation Bye-laws 2025 on Monday, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has more than doubled the fine on litterbugs, from ₹200 to ₹500

MUMBAI: Determined to crack down on civic disobedience, the BMC has rolled out tougher penalties for waste generators across Mumbai, including individuals, hawkers, commercial establishments, housing societies and building contractors.

Steeper fines for civic offences under new bye-laws.

Announcing the Solid Waste Management and Handling, Cleanliness and Sanitation Bye-laws 2025 on Monday, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has more than doubled the fine on litterbugs, from ₹200 to ₹500, while individuals spitting in public places will have to shell out ₹250, up from ₹200.

Washing vehicles in public places, urinating and defecating in public, and failure to keep drains in front of houses clean will attract a penalty of ₹500.

The revised penalties are part of a broader push to improve sanitation standards and encourage citizens to improve their waste-handling practices.

Importantly, failure to segregate wet and dry waste will result in a fine of ₹200, while transporting construction debris without a permit will attract a penalty of ₹25,000 per vehicle.

Additional municipal commissioner (city) Dr Ashwini Joshi said the BMC’s solid waste management (SWM) department has been making sustained efforts to improve the efficiency of solid waste management in the city. The new bye-laws have been framed to regulate every aspect of segregation and processing of wet and dry waste generated in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. They are also aligned with the SWM Rules, 2016, issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India.

The bye-laws will be applicable to all waste generators and to both public and private spaces across a wide range of premises, including residential, commercial, industrial, governmental, educational, religious, recreational and social establishments. They focus on preventing littering and public nuisances, ensuring clean premises and surroundings, mandating segregation of waste, regulating storage and transportation of municipal solid waste, and clearly defining the responsibilities of producers, the municipal administration, representatives and building contractors.

The framework also lays down norms for the management of biomedical waste, e-waste and plastic waste.

Appealing to citizens and establishments, Dr Joshi underlined that strict adherence to the bye-laws and cooperation with the municipal administration are essential for achieving a clean city.