Corpn to freeze bank accounts to recover arrears

Taxes not paid by property owners to corporation since 2004

The East Delhi Municipal Corporation has decided to freeze bank accounts of thousands of commercial properties’ owners in east Delhi, who have not paid or have underpaid their tax after the unit area method of tax assessment introduced in 2004.

The corporation officials said to have identified 10 stretches – five each in Shahdra North and South – of commercial properties in east Delhi to take action in the first phase.

The stretches include Krishna Nagar, Laxmi Nagar, Madhu Vihar, West Vinod Nagar and Shakurpur in Shahadra (South). Similarly properties under scanner in Shahadra (North) are on Pushta Road (Shastri Park to Khajuri Khas), Wazirabad Road, Seelampur Road and 100 Foot Road (Maujprur to Durgapuri crossing) and Ramnagar road.

“Currently, the corporation is making an assessment about how many owners have paid tax and how many have undervalued the tax amount. Once the list is prepared, the bank accounts will be sealed to ensure that they can’t conduct business through the account.

Such action is taken as a reminder,” said spokesperson, Y S Mann. The officials said they have sent notices to around one lakh property owners, who have not paid tax prior to 2004.

According to the corporation officials, only around two lakh property owners paid tax during the last financial year. However, as per the estimates of Delhi Geo Spatial Limited – a Government of India body, there are around 6.5 lakh properties in east Delhi.
While the EDMC has fixed a target of collecting Rs 261 crore as property tax during the current fiscal, they have already collected Rs 144.81 crore.