Mumbai: BMC seals 11 properties over unpaid dues of Rs 45 crores

BMC officials seal one of the defaulting properties

In another series of action against property tax defaulters, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) yesterday sealed 11 properties for dues of Rs 45 crore. In the past week, the civic body has sealed 28 properties where it is owed Rs 90.61 crore in property tax.

Ironically, many of these sealed properties belong to real estate heavyweights such as HDIL and DB Realty. The Corporation also sealed the Trade Wing at Kamala Mills (G-South ward) for dues of Rs 5.12 crore.

According to BMC officials, HDIL's sales office and two administrative wings in S-ward (Bhandup) bear pending property tax of R15.79 crore. Three plots of DB Realty in the G-South ward have been sealed for defaulting property tax amounting to Rs 15.33 crore. A senior official said, "We pasted notices at these properties and sealed the premises. If the owners fail to respond, we will initiate action. The last step is attachment of properties. After attachment, the civic body can auction the property for recovery of the amount. This is also a message to those who are yet to pay their dues running into several crores of rupees. The civic body is serious about recovering its dues."

A spokesperson from DB Realty, said, "The matter is sub-judice at the high court. The company had already made payment of Rs 2.75 crore up to the period ending 2016. The BMC has now issued a demand for 2011 to 2017, without adjusting the earlier payment."

Since the abolition of octroi has hit the BMC's revenue, the authorities are now focusing on rigorous collection of property tax, which has become the main source of revenue. In the last financial year, the civic body failed to achieve its property tax target of Rs 5,200 crore. This prompted it to draw up a list of big defaulters and crack down on them.

Also read: MHADA pulls up defaulting builders for delay in construction of projects

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