BMC seals Seven Hills' office

Mumbai: In a move that may act as a warning to major property tax defaulters, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has sealed the administrative office of the privately-owned Seven Hills Hospital in Marol, Andheri (east), for its failure to pay property tax to the tune of Rs 9 crore.

According to civic officials, the civic body had issued a notice to the Seven Hills Hospital, one of the major super speciality hospitals in the city, last month asking it to clear property tax dues by February 28. Failing to do this, officials of the BMC assessment and the collection department first vacated and then sealed the hospital’s administrative office situated on the ground floor of the hospital building on Thursday.

“The hospital in total owes the BMC property tax of Rs 39 crore accumulated over the few years. Of this, Rs 9 crore was an undisputed amount,” said Devidas Kshirsagar, assistant municipal commissioner, assessment and collection department.

He added, “The civic body last month had asked the hospital authorities to clear the unchallenged amount by February 28. The remaining amount is under dispute and hearing is going on as we are following the due process of law on the matter. But despite issuing the notice, the hospital did not respond to pay the dues within the deadline.”

The action of sealing the administrative office of the hospital was taken after getting permission from civic chief Ajoy Mehta and additional municipal commissioner Sanjay Mukherjee said civic officials.

Despite repeated attempts, Seven Hills Hospital authorities remained unavailable for comment.

After the abolition of octroi, property tax has become the highest source of revenue for the BMC. The civic body has concentrated on the collection of property tax dues to make up for the losses incurred due to the implementation of new goods and services tax.