Bengaluru’s Stint With Stink: How A Local Protest Sparked City-Wide Garbage Gridlock

Last Updated:February 20, 2026, 12:03 IST

It all began when residents near the Bellahalli waste management unit blocked hundreds of garbage trucks from entering the site over unfulfilled promises of infrastructure upgrade

A local protest by residents of Bellahalli turned into an urban nightmare for authorities in Bengaluru this week, disrupting garbage collection across the city and forcing the Karnataka government to step in with a massive Rs 550-crore relief package.

It all began when residents near the Bellahalli waste management unit blocked hundreds of garbage trucks from entering the site, contending that while the waste inflow to the area had gone up sharply in recent years, infrastructure upgrades promised to the nearby residential areas nearly two years ago remained unfulfilled.

The blockade stalled garbage collection across several neighbourhoods, exposing the fragile balance of the city’s 6,000-tonne-a-day waste management system. The standoff ended only after the Karnataka government announced additional funds and assured that long-pending development works around the landfill would begin on immediate basis.

Here’s how the crisis unfolded throughout the week:

February 16, 2026: Protest Begins

On Monday, villagers near the Bellahalli landfill blocked more than 150 garbage collection trucks from entering the site, demanding the immediate release of development funds reportedly promised nearly two years ago. They argued that the continuous influx of waste had damaged internal roads, polluted groundwater and made living conditions intolerable for people living near the landfill.

According to The Indian Express, public anger was reportedly triggered by the fact that instead of roughly 70 garbage trucks that dump waste into the Bellahalli landfill daily, 400 sanitation vehicles were diverted to the area due to unspecified issued at other waste processing centres like Mahadevapura and Byatarayanapura.

Given that Bengaluru generates about 6,000 tonnes of waste a day to be dumped in six processing sites, the blockade had an instant domino effect. The crisis was compounded by similar local protests at the at Doddaballapura. Soon, several neighbourhoods began reporting missed collections and growing garbage piles.

City-Wide Impact

As routine collections stalled, piling garbage started stinking up areas in east and north Bengaluru – bins and bags accumulated on the streets, fuelling concerns about sanitation and diseases. According to The Times of India, streets from Kalasipalya to BTM Layout and Sahakarnagar were among those affected.

Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar initially issued warnings about prolonged disruption, but protesters stood firm on demands for road improvements, clean drinking water access and health facilities.

Govt Response

A breakthrough was achieved late on Wednesday night, when the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government reportedly announced a Rs 550-crore infrastructure development package to address issues in and around landfill sites.

According to the Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML), the package’s first phase included allocations of roughly Rs 90 crore each for Mahadevapura, Byatarayanapura and Yeshwanthpur, with other constituencies like Anekal, Bengaluru South and Doddaballapur set to receive additional funds. A second phase will further boost funds for Byatarayanapura and Mahadevapura.

As per reports, authorities also indicated towards plans to reduce the number of vehicles entering landfill sites to mitigate environmental impact on neighbouring communities.

Final Clean-Up

After government assurances and the allocation of funds, villagers agreed to call off their protest late on Wednesday evening. By Thursday, garbage collection in parts of Bengaluru had resumed. The Indian Express reported that authorities permitted the permitted number of vehicles — about 70 trucks — to enter the Bellahalli site.

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