Recent revelations from the Tax Collection and Assessment Department of the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) have brought a pressing issue to the forefront – property tax arrears from owners of vacant plots within the former Pimpri-Chinchwad Navanagar Development Authority’s jurisdiction have skyrocketed to Rs. 15 crores.
This financial burden is compounded by the staggering Rs. 882 crores in overdue payments from professionals in the construction sector, educational institutions, and hospitals, prompting a public outcry for strict actions against defaulters.
In response, the Tax Collection and Taxation Department has launched the auction of seized properties due to unpaid taxes, releasing a published list of properties slated for auction. Urging property owners to settle their outstanding dues promptly, the Tax Collection Department emphasizes the risk of forfeiture of sealed properties. Notably, tax collections for the current fiscal year have exceeded the previous year, reaching Rs. 818 crores, with a targeted goal of Rs. 1,000 crores.
Despite these efforts, the civic administration grapples with the challenge of recovering Rs. 882 crores from approximately one lakh property owners. To expedite tax collection, stringent measures, including property auctions and publicizing names in newspapers, have been implemented. It’s worth noting that the Pimpri-Chinchwad Navanagar Development Authority itself owes Rs. 15.52 crores for vacant spaces, now under the jurisdiction of PMRDA following the merger.
The outstanding dues span various entities, including Lokmanya Hospital, Deccan Institute of Commerce, goldsmith Rakesh Phulchand Sonigara, Agrawal Developers, Jai Bhavani Roadlines, Amar Transport Corporation, and schools under the Brahmadatta Education Board. In a bid to intensify recovery efforts, the PCMC has commenced publishing the names of defaulters.
In pursuit of the Rs. 1,000 crore target, strict actions against defaulters include disconnections of water connections, mirroring Pune Municipal Corporation’s innovative approach of employing a musical band for houses with significant tax arrears. Residents within PCMC areas advocate for a similar strategy, expressing optimism towards achieving the ambitious tax collection goal.
