BMC seeks compensation from Mumbai Marathon organisers
Irked with this, corporators have demanded that the civic body should hold the event on their own.
Mumbai: Five months after slapping charges of Rs 2.74 crore on the organizersof Mumbai Marathon, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is yet to collect the money from them.
Irked with this, corporators have demanded that the civic body should hold the event on their own.
Claiming that a marathon is a commercial event, the civic body had earlier asked the event management firm M/s Procam International to shell out Rs 5.48 crore for municipal taxes and services charges. But later the civic body revised the charges to Rs 2.74 crore. However, the marathon organisers have refused to pay the charges maintaining their stand that it’s a charity event.
A senior civic official said, “BMC has asked the marathon organisers to furnish evidences of the event being of social nature. But they have failed to do so. They have also failed to pay the charges of Rs 2.74 crore to the civic body so far.
Just before the marathon, which was held on January 15 in the city, the BMC had asked the marathon organisers to pay Rs 5.48 crore within
24 hours, failing to which it threatened to take action under 328/328A of MMC Act for defacing the city. The fee was levied for display of advertisements by means of hoardings, brandings and lesser show during the marathon. The substantial rise in BMC’s charges was largely due to the commercial rates it decided to charge from this year, said civic officials. However, the civic body later relented and allowed organisers to go on with the marathon by allowing them to pay charges of Rs 22.90 lakh, which were equivalent to last year fees. But after the event, thecivic body has continued with its demand asking them to pay Rs 2.74 crore.
Speaking on this, Arvind Reddy, co-ordinator, M/s Procam International, said, “The marathon is a charity event, which is held for a social cause. While it was held for couple of days, the civic body has charged us for 30 days, which is not correct. The request the civic officials to be considerate.”
In a letter written to civic chief Ajoy Mehta Congress corporator Ashraf Azmi said“Despite providing all facilities if they do not pay the civic charges, the BMC should organise marathon on its own.”