MCG seals three properties for delay in payment of property taxes

An MCG official said that only ₹187 crore has been collected as revenue via property tax till December 31 last year

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) sealed three properties, including a farm house, for a delay in the payment of outstanding property taxes. While one property owner has pending dues of ₹79 lakh, the other two defaulters have to deposit ₹72 and ₹44 lakh, officials aware of the matter said on Thursday.

The MCG has been regularly carrying out sealing drives and have identified over 50 properties that will be sealed this month, including three on Friday, said officials. (HT Archive)

An MCG official said that only ₹187 crore has been collected as revenue via property tax till December 31, 2023.

The MCG has been regularly carrying out sealing drives and have identified over 50 properties that will be sealed this month, including three on Friday, said officials.

Lakshman Das, zonal taxation officer of Zone-3, said that the enforcement team on Wednesday sealed a building in Nathupur that had ₹79 lakh pending for the last many years. “The team has also sealed a commercial building in Block H of DLF Phase-1 as the property has arrears of over ₹72 lakh. A farm in Gwal Pahari, which has a due of ₹44 lakh property tax, was also sealed,” he said.

Officials said since 2017, nearly 850 buildings have been sealed in the city so far, and owners have been let go after warnings. While most tax defaulters cleared their dues and reclaimed their properties, the remaining who did not do so face the prospect of their properties being auctioned from June this year under Section 130 (manner of recovering tax or fee) of the Haryana Municipal Act, 1994, the officials added.

Narender Singh Bangar, commissioner MCG, said that as per the Haryana Municipal Corporation Act, it is mandatory to pay property taxes for all types of vacant plots, residential, commercial, and industrial buildings located within the municipal area. “Property tax is assessed annually, and those who fail to pay on time are charged an interest of 18% per annum. Defaulting properties can be sealed, and the auction process can be initiated against them. We have started the sealing drive against defaulters exceeding ₹5 lakh,” he said.

MCG officials said that property owners have been asked to self-certify their property data on the no-dues certificate (NDC) portal before February 29 this year, and make the payment of property tax, taking advantage of interest waiver and a 15% discount, said the officials.