Mumbai: BMC cracks down on property tax defaulters

BMC officials issuing notices to defaulters in Borivli

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has begun issuing notices to property tax defaulters. Over 565 defaulters have received notices so far. The BMC plans to seize the properties of defaulters and either recover the property tax or auction the properties.

According to a civic official, "We have started issuing notices to the defaulters, giving them 21 days to pay their pending dues. If a taxpayer fails to pay within 21 days, we will proceed with the process of property attachment." This notice is referred to as an "attachment notice", the official added.

Explaining the attachment process, an auction officer from the Civic Assessment and Collection Department said, "If dues are not paid within 21 days, we start the process of attachment. This involves verifying legal aspects such as ownership, any disputes related to the property, and obtaining permission from civic authorities." The ward team is currently scrutinising the properties, the official noted.

Sunil Dhamne, joint municipal commissioner, confirmed that the process of issuing notices to defaulters has commenced. "We aim to recover the outstanding property tax dues," Dhamne said.

According to data, the BMC has issued notices to defaulters across the city, with a total of R702 crore in dues. The BMC has set a target to recover Rs 4,500 crore from property taxes, having earned Rs 4,856 crore in the 2023-24 financial year.