South and north corporations spar over ‘unpaid’ dues

NEW DELHI: The three Bjp-led municipal corporations of Delhi (MCDS) may be fighting with the Delhi government to get their share of tax money, but they have a few bills to settle among themselves as well.

Congress councillor Mukesh Goel said the south corporation owes the north corporation ₹1,400 crore for using the ‘Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Civic Centre’ building from year 2010. This is when the two municipalities shifted their offices from its old headquarters, ‘Town Hall’ in Chandni Chowk, to the Civic Centre building on Minto Road.

The swanky civic centre building with its glass facade was built by the north corporation at a cost of ₹500-650 crore.

Goel said, “Since all the three MCDS are led by the same party, they are not settling this. However, they are not realising that their camaraderie or party brotherhood is harming the finances of the north Delhi municipal corporation. Our corporation is reeling under a deficit of ₹3,000 crore while the south Delhi municipal corporation is still coping. If they pay us our money, we can be salvaged.”

He reminded the corporation how a previous north Delhi municipal corporation commissioner, PK Gupta, had even sealed the office of the south Delhi municipal corporation commissioner in the Civic Centre building for non-payment of this due few years ago.

Congress councillor Aaley Mohmmed Iqbal, in his budget speech on Wednesday, said, “The BJP leadership of north MCD keeps saying that the AAPled Delhi government is not giving it dues from central taxes and strangulating it financially. But what about collecting their dues from the sister corporation?”

SDMC standing committee chairperson Shikha Rai said, “We are aware that this issue has been coming up repeatedly. The north MCD officials say the amount is due while our officers deny it. We are yet to have a detailed discussion.”