Mumbai: Despite repeated reminders from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), government agencies continue to default on property tax dues worth crores. On Tuesday, corporators in the civic house, following a point of order raised by the opposition, demanded strict action—urging the BMC to seize and auction the properties of such defaulters to recover the outstanding amounts.
Major Defaulters
Property tax is a major revenue source for the civic body, yet dues of Rs. 1,685 crore from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and Rs. 601 crore from the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) remain unpaid for several years, corporators said. The BMC has issued recovery letters, but no response has been received from the concerned agencies, triggering a heated debate in the civic house.
Congress corporator Raja Rehbar Khan questioned what action the BMC would take, asking whether recovery measures or even auction of assets would be initiated, as is done in cases involving ordinary defaulters. Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) corporator Diksha Karkar supported the demand, stressing that tax assessment and collection must be uniform and that no agency should be exempt.
Opposition Demands
Shiv Sena (UBT) corporators Sachin Padwal and Yashodhar Phanse also demanded strict recovery, stating that Mumbai runs on tax paid by ordinary citizens and the same rules must apply to MHADA and MMRDA. Another UBT corporator, Vishakha Raut, raised the demand that the BMC should receive 1% share from stamp duty revenue, arguing that the corporation bears the burden of providing civic infrastructure after housing transactions.
Opposition leader Kishori Pednekar also backed recovery of dues and reiterated the demand for a 1% stamp duty share, stating it would strengthen funding for civic projects and plans to take the matter to the Chief Minister. House Leader Ganesh Khankar demanded strict action against developers with unpaid dues, including blacklisting and asset seizure, and called for a clear policy to recover pending taxes. Mayor Ritu Tawde noted members concerns and suggested improving the digital system with timely alerts and easier installment payment options. The opposition’s motion was ultimately kept pending for further consideration.
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