Tax defaulters may lose property
NMMC issues notice to 119 property tax defaulters; gives them 21 days to clear dues
The property tax department of the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has issued notices to 119 defaulters directing them to pay taxes, failing which their properties will be sold for recovery. The civic body has given them 21 days to clear pending dues.
At the beginning of August, the civic body had issued notices to pay pending taxes or face auction for recovery of dues. In the last two months, after issuing notices, the civic body has seized properties of several defaulters, which include prominent builders and industrial units. Civic chief Abhijit Bangar has directed the property tax department to hasten the process of auctioning if defaulters fail to respond within a stipulated time frame.
An official said that the confiscation proceedings of properties that have not paid taxes have been initiated under Rule 45 of the Maharashtra Municipal Corporation Act 8 and an order has been issued by the property tax department.
Property tax is one of the major sources of revenue for the NMMC; due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the civic body needs funds to fight the outbreak.
Of the total 119 properties with large amounts of pending taxes, 19 are in Belapur, 20 in Nerul, 34 in Vashi, 10 in Turbhe, 17 in Koparkhairane, 12 in Ghansoli and seven in Airoli. “There are many open plots, including commercial and industrial units. A few of the properties belong to well-known developers from the city,” said an official.