New Delhi: The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has announced plans to revoke the user charges imposed on garbage collection and to introduce an amnesty scheme aimed at settling outstanding house tax dues, party leaders confirmed on Tuesday.
The announcements were made by Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva and City Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh.
“The previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) administration in the MCD imposed user charges without any prior discussion. We have instructed officials that no user charges should be levied on residents. We will present a private resolution regarding this matter in the MCD House meeting scheduled for Wednesday,” Singh stated.
Additionally, the Mayor revealed that the BJP will implement an amnesty scheme allowing residents to settle their house tax dues from the past five years without incurring any penalties or late payment surcharges. Upon payment, residents will receive no objection certificates from the MCD, confirming the settlement of their house tax obligations.
Sachdeva emphasized that the BJP consulted with prominent residents’ welfare associations (RWAs) before making these decisions, asserting that the user charge for garbage collection was imposed “arbitrarily” by the AAP.
In a related development, AAP councillors staged a sit-in outside the Delhi Mayor’s office on Monday, protesting the exclusion of a proposal to roll back the user charges from the House agenda.
The BJP secured the positions of Mayor and Deputy Mayor in the MCD elections held on April 25, during which they pledged to eliminate user charges for garbage collection.
On April 7, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), which was then under the governance of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), announced that, in accordance with the Solid Waste Management (SWM) bylaws, a “user fee” is required for services related to garbage collection, transportation, and disposal.
“The implementation of the user fee, as stipulated in the SWM regulations, is being carried out according to the categories defined in the bylaws. Furthermore, its enforcement is subject to oversight by the Supreme Court,” stated the MCD.
Numerous Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) and trade organizations in Delhi have expressed their approval of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s (MCD) decision to postpone the implementation of user charges for garbage collection, a move led by the BJP.
During a press conference on Tuesday, the party announced the suspension of these user charges and introduced an amnesty scheme aimed at helping property owners settle outstanding house tax dues.
दिल्लीवालों की सुख, सुविधा और संपन्नता ही भाजपा का प्रथम संकल्प!
— Virendraa Sachdeva (@Virend_Sachdeva) May 20, 2025
आज RWA की बैठक को दिल्ली के महापौर सरदार श्री @RajaiqbalSingh3 जी एवं उप महापौर श्री जय भगवान जी के साथ संबोधित किया।
भाजपा दिल्ली के हर नागरिक को फर्जी हाउस टैक्स और यूज़र्स चार्ज जैसे ज़बरदस्ती थोपे गए आर्थिक… pic.twitter.com/NzY0rRkXFH
“The previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) administration in the MCD imposed user charges without any prior discussion. We have now instructed officials to refrain from levying such charges. We will present a private resolution regarding this matter at the MCD House meeting on Wednesday,” stated Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh.
The proposed amnesty scheme will allow property owners to clear house tax dues that have accumulated over the past five years without incurring any penalties or interest. Upon payment, the MCD will issue no-objection certificates to confirm the settlement of these dues.
Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva emphasized that this decision was made following consultations with RWAs throughout the city. “The previous imposition of user charges was arbitrary; moving forward, any such measures will be taken only after engaging with relevant stakeholders,” he noted.
यूजर्स सरचार्ज के नाम पर AAP-दा की लूट को भाजपा ने किया बंद
— BJP Delhi (@BJP4Delhi) May 20, 2025
आम आदमी पार्टी के शासन ने बिना किसी चर्चा के यूजर्स सरचार्ज लगा दिया था। विपक्ष में रहते हुए हमने इसका विरोध भी किया था।
दिल्ली की जनता को बताते हुए बहुत हर्ष होता है कि हमने जो महापौर साहब से जो निवेदन किया था।… pic.twitter.com/RSlq7IghgJ
During the announcement, members of various RWAs voiced their concerns regarding the management of waste collection by private contractors, particularly in light of the municipal body’s demand for user charges.
