Mumbai civic body seals office of Seven Hills Hospital over non-payment of Rs9 crore property tax

The civic body had earlier given Seven Hills hospital an ultimatum to pay property tax by February 28.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) stepped up its action against Marol’s Seven Hills Hospital, after it failed to pay Rs9 crore of property tax accumulated over the past few years.

In January 2018, the BMC sent Seven Hills hospital a show cause notice for failing to pay property tax. (HT FILE)

On Thursday, the BMC sealed the administrative office of the hospital. The civic body had earlier given Seven Hills hospital an ultimatum to pay property tax by February 28. In January, it sent Seven Hills a show cause notice for failing to pay property tax.

Municipal commissioner Ajoy Mehta and additional municipal commissioner Sanjay Mukherjee directed the assessment and collection department to seal the hospital’s administrative office.

Dr Jitendra Das Maganti, founder of Seven Hills Healthcare, remained unavailable for comment despite several attempts to contact him.

Devidas Kshirsagar, from the assessment and collection department said, “Now the hospital has to pay up the money, and we will unseal their administrative office. They had the deadline of February end, and since they didn’t pay, Sanjay Mukherjee directed this action.”

The fate of Seven Hills hospital is uncertain as the BMC has barred it from admitting new patients and asked the hospital to discharge the 15 patients currently admitted there, after they get better. “Our administrative and human resource departments are shut down currently but the hospital continues to provide treatment to those who are under our care. Its uncertain what will happen once the patients are discharged,” said a doctor from the hospital on the condition of anonymity.