Bengaluru: A curious trend seems to be emerging in the tech capital: cage-like metal boxes are being installed on the compound walls and gates of homes. But why?These aren’t decorative pieces, they are garbage bins born out of sheer frustration with the city’s erratic waste collection system. With trash trucks arriving at odd hours — sometimes at dawn, sometimes at noon, and often not at all — neighbourhoods across the city are reeling under stench, swelling blackspots, and marauding strays. For many residents, such cages are a way to keep garbage off the streets while sparing themselves the wait for elusive auto tippers.Nalini KS, a homemaker from South End Circle, said: “Every day, I wake up hoping the garbage will be cleared, but the trucks either come late or skip our street entirely. The stench is unbearable and we’re left to deal with it. This is not just about cleanliness — it’s about dignity. We pay taxes for these services, why can’t they be consistent?”A Doddanekundi resident explained how cages became a practical solution: “We had no option but to fix iron cages to our compound walls. At least this way, pourakarmikas can collect the bags whenever they come. Otherwise, garbage piles up as techies rush to work and dump waste on the road.”But not everyone is installing cages. Some, like H Begum from JP Nagar, have taken the private route: “We’re tired of tracking the (garbage) vehicles. Now we just pay our local pourakarmika Rs 200 a month. She calls and comes on time. It’s better than having bags pile up inside the house.”Others remain angry such makeshift fixes have become necessary in a city that prides itself as being India’s Silicon Valley. Deepa P from Whitefield said: “The vehicles are supposed to come daily, but for 4-5 days no one turns up. The excuse is always a breakdown, but if that’s true, we should be informed. Instead, blackspots keep growing as maids dump waste, attracting dogs. Why should the system only work after we complain?”Difficult transitionR Rajagopalan, convener of Bengaluru Coalition, said: “The transition from Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike to Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Ltd (BSWML) has been chaotic, marked by poor services, erratic door-to-door collection, and confused responsibilities. Fresh tenders keep stalling in litigation, leaving residents to endure foul stench across the city. Expecting a single vendor to handle all waste is unrealistic, yet officials continue to chase incineration-based waste-to-energy projects from corporations with poor track records. Meanwhile, the decentralised model mandated under the Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules-2016 remains a distant dream.”Residents also fume about why they should pay extra when door-to-door garbage collection remains erratic and blackspots continue to grow in several neighbourhoods. At present, there are over 4,900 auto tippers across the city and 400 contractors for garbage collection. On average, the city generates around 6,000 tonnes of dry and wet waste daily.A senior BSWML official dismissed the complaints, saying garbage collection happens on time. “We changed the timings also recently for active collection. We haven’t received any complaints so far. If we do receive complaints, we’ll definitely resolve the issue.”
