PMC writes off ₹13 crore property tax on mobile towers

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) standing committee wrote off ₹13 crore property tax payable by mobile towers across the city after it received a proposal from the civic administration

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) standing committee wrote off ₹13 crore property tax payable by mobile towers across the city after it received a proposal from the civic administration.

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PMC property tax department tabled a proposal in a standing committee meeting which passed on Tuesday.

Hemant Rasane, PMC standing committee chairman said, “The proposal was tabled by the PMC administration to write off property tax on mobile towers in the city. The property tax department has reasoned that some of the towers have double taxation and some of the towers haven’t existed on the ground but, the department has generated a property tax.”

“Based on the administration information, the committee has given a nod to waive off property tax on mobile towers,” he added.

Meanwhile, the PMC tax department received around 190 fresh mobile tower proposals for the assessment of new tax.

The department has estimated around ₹80 crore revenue collection per year from the new mobile towers.

As per the 2016 Supreme Court order, the civic bodies can levy property tax on mobile towers attached on rooftops of properties within its limits.

The PMC is collecting property tax for towers and also imposing fines on mobile company operators who have installed the towers on illegal constructions.

The operators have challenged the penalty decision of the PMC and the matter has been pending in court for a few years. At present, the outstanding amount has reached more than ₹1,500 crore so far.