1 farmhouse, 2 commercial units sealed over pending property tax

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has sealed one farmhouse in Chhattarpur and one commercial unit in a mall in Jasola and in the Jasola District Centre each for non-payment of pending property taxes to the tune of ₹7.5 crore. The move comes a week before the March 31 deadline to pay property taxes for 2022-23.

In an official statement, MCD said in an ongoing drive to crack down on property tax defaulters, the department sealed and attached one farmhouse in south Delhi’s DLF Chattarpur. “Approximately ₹1.09 crore in tax was outstanding against the property and the taxpayer failed to pay the outstanding tax dues since 2004-05, despite being given ample opportunities by MCD,” the statement said.

An official from MCD’S assessment and collection department said the corporation is taking similar action against big tax defaulters by sealing large properties in various areas.

“Large commercial properties in Jasola and Jasola District Centre were sealed on Saturday. These two units owed ₹6.50 crore in outstanding property tax dues. The dues were pending since 2004-05. We will continue the drive,” the official said, asking not to be named.

To be sure, property tax is one of the main sources of revenue for the financially strained MCD. The civic body’s total property tax collection for 2021-22 was ₹2,032 crore and owners of around 1.15 million properties paid tax during 2021-22.

As per the budgetary proposals moved by the municipal commissioner, the civic body plans to collect ₹3,800 crore in property taxes in 2022-23 while the target for 2023-24 is set at ₹4,300 crore.

The official quoted above said property tax defaulters are advised to pay their outstanding dues on or before March 31, 2023 to benefit under the Samriddhi Amnesty scheme.