2 min readGurgaonApr 7, 2026 07:50 AM ISTGurgaon residents are protesting the sudden addition of garbage collection charges to their property tax bills, with fees ranging from ₹216 to ₹540.Residents of Gurgaon were in for a shock as their property tax bills generated this month included hundreds of rupees as garbage collection charges.The Indian Express accessed multiple such bills in prominent sectors and localities.In Surya Vihar at Sector 21, such bills generated by the Haryana State Urban Local Bodies Department included garbage collection charges worth Rs 540. In Suncity Township off Golf Course Road, the charges ranged from Rs 216 to Rs 432.Residents questioned levying this charge at a time when the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) does not have a permanent mechanism in place for door-to-door garbage collection, segregation and processing. The civic body relies on informal labour-based stopgap measures at present, sourced out to various contractors. Several sectors manage on their own, with collectors collecting between Rs 50-150 per household.“Our residents and in fact all of Gurgaon object to this when the MCG does not even pick up garbage from our area. We are very sad… All our time goes into garbage collection arrangements. We spend Rs 25,000 for private arrangements. We are a 35-year-old society, and the builder has not given any space for waste segregation or processing. We have 500+ residents,” said Rajesh Gera, president of Surya Vihar Residents Welfare Association (RWA).“When we are handling everything on our own, why the extra charge? Residents are rightfully irked, in the absence of MCG amenities for garbage,” said Kusum Sharma, chairperson of Suncity Township RWA.When contacted, a senior MCG official conceded to the error and said it will be rectified soon.Story continues below this ad“It is a mistake on part of the headquarters (at the state department level). We are looking into it and will redress it soon. For now, we are likely to defer the levy till a door-to-door garbage collection system is in place,” the official told The Indian Express on condition of anonymity.Abhimanyu Hazarika is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Gurgaon. He covers southern Haryana. Education - Post-Graduate Diploma in Print Media, Asian College of Journalism (Class of 2020) - B.A. (Hons) Liberal Arts with a major in Political Science, Symbiosis School for Liberal Arts (Class of 2019) Professional Experience Before joining The Indian Express, he worked with Bar & Bench (legal journalism) and Frontline magazine, where he developed experience in court reporting, legal analysis, and long-form investigative features. Reporting Interests His work centres on civic accountability, environmental policy, urban infrastructure and culture, crime and law enforcement, and their intersections with politics and governance in and around Gurgaon. Recent Coverage (2025) - Crime: Reported on the recovery of 350 kg of explosives and an AK-47 from a rented house in Faridabad, linked to the 2025 Red Fort car explosion case (November 11, 2025). - Environmental policy: Covered protests outside a Haryana minister’s residence against a Supreme Court order that environmentalists argue could allow mining and real estate development on large parts of the Aravalli hills (December 21, 2025). - Pollution control measures: Co-authored coverage of the Rekha Gupta government’s enforcement of vehicle restrictions at Delhi-NCR borders (December 21, 2025). - Road safety and infrastructure: Examined response lapses in the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway hit-and-run case and ongoing investigations into high-speed road crimes in Gurugram. - Animal welfare policy: Reported on concerns regarding the low budget allocated for stray dog sterilization by the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (November 30, 2025). - Urban culture: Featured the social media-driven popularity of a new Magnolia Bakery outlet in Gurugram (December 15, 2025). Contact X (Twitter): @AB_Hazardous ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Gurgaon