With the current financial year coming to an end, BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) appears to be more determined to recover property tax arrears. It has now cracked a whip against 11,661 defaulters and initiated the process of attaching their properties. Meanwhile, the process of auctioning 42 properties has already begun to recover property tax arrears of Rs 210 crore.
The civic body had also disconnected the water supply to the properties of around 479 defaulters. Officials said that defaulters have time to clear their dues till the properties have not been auctioned. These defaulters include commercial, residential and educational establishments, small-scale industries, government-owned properties and open plots. After the Octroi income, property tax is one of the major sources of income for BMC.
Sangeeta Hasnale, assistant municipal commissioner (assessment and collection department), BMC, said, “These properties have not paid their dues for years despite several reminders. We have proceeded with the attachment of the properties and they will be auctioned too.”
The civic body is all set to auction 42 properties to recover arrears of Rs 210 crore. The list of major defaulters whose properties have been listed for auctioning include M/s. Sumer Associates (Rs 53.43 crore), M/s Sumer Builders Private Limited (Rs 29.71 crore), M/s Lokhandwala Kataria Constructions (Rs 13.55 crore) and Wondervalue Realty Developers Limited (Rs 14.65 crore), amongst others.
The property tax collection this year has jumped over Rs 3,800 crores as of March 18, 2021. The civic body had given the deadline of March 8 to the defaulters this year to clear property tax arrears. Those who did not clear the arrears faced the action. The target for property tax collection this year was set at Rs 5,200 crore. The BMC administration is making continuous efforts to achieve this target.
"Despite several notices and warnings, defaulters do not budge and continue to not pay the dues. We have no option but to attach properties, seize and confiscate valuables," added Hasnale.
In the past two days, BMC confiscated a car belonging to M/s D B Realty Limited after they failed to clear the property tax arrears of Rs 66 crore towards M/s MIG Co-operative Housing Society in Bandra East and the building was sealed. In another action, a multi-storied building in Bandra East, Maharashtra Theater Private Limited, belonging to M/s RNA Corporate Limited was sealed. The valuables and equipment of the defaulter on the eighth floor of the building were confiscated due to the non-payment of arrears of Rs 21 crore.
