Mumbai: Continuing its strong action against property tax defaulters, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has sealed seven more properties over non-payment of property tax dues.
The properties include Ashiana building at Nepean Sea Road, an open plot belonging to Reliable Builders at Goregaon, an open plot belonging to Sunshine Housing and Infrastructure at Aarey Road, HDIL company’s property at L ward, Naaz Cinema at Grant Road, Deonar Industrial Estate and an open plot belonging to Twilight Society in Khar. Among the sealed properties, Aashiana building has the highest property tax dues of Rs 7.99 crore. The car lift of the building was sealed on March 5. The main gate of Naaz cinema was also sealed on March 5 for non-payment of property tax worth Rs 4.13 crore.
Some part of the open plot belonging to Reliable Builders in Laxmi Nagar, Goregaon, was sealed on March 6 for not paying property tax of Rs 4.60 crore. The main gate of the open plot belonging to Sunshine Housing and Infrastructure at Aarey Road was also sealed over the non-payment of over Rs 4 crore of property tax.
The HDIL Company in L ward has property tax arrears of Rs 4.41 crore. Failing to pay this, the BMC sealed company’s site office on the plot on February 23. The main gate of Deonar Industrial Premises Sahakari Society was sealed on February 6 over non-payment of property tax of Rs 2.18 crore.
The Twilight Society in Khar has property tax arrears of Rs 90.71 lakh, due to which its main gate was sealed on March 1.
“To avoid action like seizure of properties or discontinuation of water connection, citizens should pay the property tax bills within the stipulated period,” said Devidas Kshirsagar, assistant municipal commissioner, assessment and collection department.
Civic body makes list of 100 top undisputed defaulters
According to civic data, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has a total outstanding of Rs 9948 crore in property tax. For the speedy recovery, the BMC has made a list of 100 top undisputed defaulters, which contains several corporates, developers, housing societies and other establishments. Many of them have not paid property tax for several years.
The top 10 undisputed property tax defaulters in the city include Hindustan Composites Ltd (Rs 29.98 crore), Bharat Diamond Bourse (Rs 25.52 crore), Lutharia Lachandani (Rs 21.97 crore), Jet Airways Ltd (Rs 16.58 crore), Kohinoor Mall Premier Road (Rs 15.33 crore), Solanki Associates and Shapoorji Pallonji & Co (Rs 13.64 crore), Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Nagar SRA CHS (Rs 13.12 crore), Centaur Mercantile Pvt Ltd (Rs 13.06 crore), Parineeti Developers Pvt Ltd (Rs 12.28 crore) and Reliance Industries Ltd (Rs 11.23 crore).
“Out of pending dues of Rs 9948 crore, more than 50 percent amount, which comes to Rs 5094 crore, has been disputed. In case of the remaining amount of Rs 4854 crore, action can be taken, and we have decided to recover it by adopting several measures,” said an official.
“The disputed bills are the ones, on which concerned parties have taken objection. They have challenged them in courts, and hence we cannot take action against them till the court gives its ruling,” said Devidas Kshirsagar, assistant municipal commissioner, assessment and collection department.
