MCG seals gates of Tulip Ivory and Purple over non-payment of property tax

Residents say no tax due, allege that civic body did not even send a notice. Say the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram must take up the matter with the developer

The residents of Tulip Ivory and Purple in Sector 69, the entry and exit points of which were sealed by officials of the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG), said they would protest at Vatika Chowk and the MCG office on Wednesday if the gates of their residential complex were not opened.

Residents of Tulip Orange, Ivory, and other condominiums could not move in or out of the complex on Sunday. (HT Photo)

The civic body officials said the MCG has sealed half of the entry and exit gates of these two societies as the developer has failed to pay the property tax since 2015.

“At present, Tulip Purple only has one gate operational for entry and exit of vehicles, and the MCG has even sealed half of that gate. The remaining space is so narrow that no school bus can enter society the complex and my children, and all the other children who live in the society, have to brave unruly traffic to catch the bus; they could meet with an accident,” Vikas Ranjan, a resident of Tulip Purple, said.

The residents have also questioned the MCG action at the apartment complex when the developer is at fault. The developer’s office should be sealed, not the gates of the society, they said.

Residents have also alleged that they did not receive any notice regarding any pending property tax or the about MCG action. They added that most residents have paid their property tax to the MCG since the time they bought their apartment in the year 2015.

“As residents, we have not received any tax notice. We would like to approach the MCG to reconsider its decision of sealing the gates. As residents, we are facing problems like restricted entry and exit, potential inability to respond to emergency situations, like fire or medical emergencies. We are facing problems for no fault of our. We are suffering due to builder’s fault and his inability to explain the delay on their side to the MCG,” Priyank Jain, a resident Tulip Violet, said.

The developer of The Tulip Ivory and Violet said he did not receive a notice from the MCG and he, too, was shocked when the gates were sealed.

“The residents are directly paying property tax and they should not be harassed by the officials. The officials have closed the gates illegally, they should have informed us before taking such action,” said Praveen Jain, chairman and managing director of Tulip Infratech and also the president of National Real Estate Development Council.

Jain added that the MCG is now demanding 18% interest on the tax on vacant land. “We have asked them for details. I have no problem submitting the tax, but it should be justified.”

On the other hand, the MCG officials said they have been reminding the developer about tax submission for two years, and have already given all details.

“The developer is well aware of the taxes and he met the zonal taxation officer on Monday. We have sealed the gate of an under-construction site, and half-sealed gates for the residential complexes that are occupied,”MCG joint commissioner Gaurav Antil said.

“We will open the gates once the property tax is paid,” Antil said.