Mumbai: BMC cuts off sewage lines of property tax defaulters

BMC headquarters in Fort. Pic/Ashish Raje

Taking action against defaulters, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Tuesday disconnected sewage lines of four properties for defaulting property tax. As per sources, the civic body generally disconnects water lines of buildings owned by property tax defaulters.

Speaking to Times of India, a civic official said, "BMC officials said that dues of around Rs 8.7 crore were pending of a hotel in K-West ward. Despite repeated requests and notices, the property tax was not paid."

For the financial year 2020-21, the country's richest civic body had set a target to collect property tax of Rs 5,200 crore, however, so far they have managed to collect Rs 4,536 crore.

After facing a cash crunch due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the BMC began attaching properties of defaulters from February. According to civic officials, it was part of a drive to recover property tax from violators. Interestingly, the civic body had also begun auctioning properties of property tax defaulters.

The BMC has an outstanding property tax of close to Rs 20,000 crore, an official said.