Mumbai civic body cracks down on property tax defaulters

The BMC had set up a collection target of ₹5,200 crore. However, it has collected only 70% of the total target of ₹3,650 crore.

In order to meet its property tax collection target for the year, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Sunday said it has started cracking down on property tax defaulters wherein either their movable assets have been confiscated or water supply and sewers have been disconnected.

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation headquarters. (HT FILE)

The BMC had set up a collection target of ₹5,200 crore. However, it has collected only 70% of the total target of ₹3,650 crore. Due to this, with a few days left for the financial year to end on March 31, BMC has accelerated its action against defaulters.

The BMC, in a statement on Sunday, said that water connections of Solitaire Corporate Park and Vertex Building were disconnected, and sewers were blocked in the Andheri area. However, after this action, the property holders paid 50% of the outstanding amount of ₹9.91 crore cumulatively.

Further, water supply connection of a theatre was disconnected in Chembur area owing to property tax outstanding of ₹75 lakh. The BMC on Sunday also sealed office and confiscated a vehicle of a property consultant in Chembur areas as ₹1.10 crore property tax is due and the luxury car of a real estate developer was confiscated for property tax due to ₹38 lakh.

Meanwhile, the BMC statement added that ₹25.86 crore was collected from Bharat Diamond Bourse as settlement arrears of property tax. This was followed by recovery of ₹39 crore from Reliance Industries Limited as property tax.