Property tax unpaid, 243 properties in danger of being sealed, auctioned by MCG

Gurugram: As the 2019-2020 fiscal draws to a close, the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) is trying to maximise its revenue collection and has sent notices

Gurugram: As the 2019-2020 fiscal draws to a close, the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) is trying to maximise its revenue collection and has sent notices to 243 property owners who cumulatively owe the civic body ₹42 crore in property taxes.

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MCG officials said each of the owners owe the corporation between ₹10-20 lakh in property tax and have been given a month’s notice to pay, failing which their properties will be sealed and auctioned to recover the dues.

Property tax is the MCG’s main source of revenue, and in each budget, it sets aside ₹300 crore as expected revenue collection.

As per the MCG’s official website, the civic body has collected ₹166 crore through property tax this fiscal so far.

“These funds are used in betterment of civic facilities across the city. We have given the 243 owners a month from the date of receiving the notice, after which we will initiate the sealing process and auctioning of the structures if they fail to pay their dues,” said Dinesh Kumar, zonal taxation officer, MCG.

Last month, a report of the directorate of Urban Local Bodies (ULB) revealed that of the ₹1,700 crore dues 10 municipal corporations in Haryana are owed, around 20% of the dues, ₹350 crore is the MCG’s property tax dues alone.

Since then MCG has expedited its collection process and last month identified 197 property tax owners who each individually owed the civic body more than Rs 20 lakh in property tax dues.

Of the 197, 55 have paid their dues, 33 are yet to pay, 32 buildings of such owners have been sealed by the MCG, while the collection of dues from 77 building owners is still in process.

The 197 owners, owe the MCG around ₹80 crore in property tax dues.

In addition, MCG had also issued notices to more than 150 ahata owners across the city, directing them to submit details such as the total area of their premises, the date of purchase, the last time they paid property tax, among other such details.

The 150 ahatas were identified after a survey by the civic body last month.

Kumar said action against ahata owners who have not disclosed their property details will start from next week.