23 November,2024 07:15 AM IST | Mumbai | Sameer Surve
The BMC has set a target of collecting R4,550 crore in property tax this year. File Pic/Ashish Raje
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has taken strong action against the city's top 20 property tax defaulters, who collectively owe Rs 822 crore. The BMC needs to collect R3,178 crore in the next four months to meet its financial target.
According to a BMC official, notices have been issued to the top 20 defaulters owing Rs 822 crore. The seizure notices were issued under Article 203 of the BMC Act, 1888. This article gives defaulters a 90-day period to pay their property tax. If the payment is not made within this period, a final 21-day notice is issued, after which the process of property attachment begins, the official explained.
The official further stated that around Rs 800 crore in dues are pending from the G South ward, which includes Worli, Mahalaxmi, and Prabhadevi. For example, Raghuvanshi Mill in Lower Parel's Senapati Bapat Marg owes Rs 158.06 crore. When mid-day visited the Raghuvanshi Mill compound to contact the party concerned, a security guard informed them that the property manager was unavailable and refused to share contact details.
J Kumar Infrastructure Limited owes Rs 139.50 crore for its Bandra East property. Attempts by mid-day to contact the company via email received no response. Similarly, Omkar Developers Private Limited owes Rs 104.78 crore. However, the company's spokesperson declined to provide an official comment.
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The BMC has set a target of collecting Rs 4,550 crore in property tax for this financial year. So far, Rs 1,372 crore has been collected. To meet the target, the BMC must collect an additional Rs 3,178 crore by the end of March 2025.
"Normally, taxpayers tend to pay their property taxes towards the end of the financial year. We are also confident of achieving our target this year," the official added. Property tax is the third-largest revenue source for the BMC, following state government aid as compensation for Octroi and contributions from the Development Plan department.
