Mumbai civic chief’s bungalow is big property tax defaulter

After the BMC published a list of the top 10 property tax defaulters, it has been revealed that the outstanding tax for the municipal commissioner's bungalow stands at Rs 4.56 lakh. The taxes have not been paid for 14 years. This information was provided by the civic body after activist Anil Galgali used the RTI Act to determine the water consumption units of the bungalow.

The BMC's tax assessment and collection department has started taking action for property tax recovery. Subsequently, the civic body published a list of the top 10 defaulters who collectively owed it Rs 147 crore as pending property tax and appealed to citizens to pay their dues by March-end.

According to Galgali, he had filed an RTI query at the BMC commissioner's office on December 29, 2023, seeking information about the monthly water consumption units by the municipal commissioner's bungalow over the last five years. The application was transferred to the water department of D Ward by the commissioner's office. The application was then forwarded to the tax assessment and collection department which is in charge of property tax collection.

As per Information provided by the department, the bungalow has Rs 3.89 lakh of outstanding property tax arrears from April 1, 2010, to March 31, 2023. Also, the current year's bill amount of Rs 67,278, from April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024, is still pending. This includes general tax and water tax.

Galgali said, "What is special in this case is that the water connection to the bungalow is without a water metre. Everyone must pay tax on time, be it a commissioner or the common man."

Rs 4.56lakh
Total amount to be paid