BBMP seals over 6,900 properties of tax defaulters

Bengaluru: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has taken strict measures against property tax defaulters this financial year, attaching over 81,000 properties and sealing 6,914 properties for non-payment of dues.

As of January 4, the BBMP has collected Rs 4,370.81 crore in tax revenue, achieving nearly 84 per cent of its Rs 5,210.48 crore target for the fiscal year. This marks a 25.31 per cent increase compared to the Rs 3,487.96 crore collected by the same time last year.

Currently, 2,06,753 properties have been identified as tax defaulters, with pending dues totalling Rs 329.15 crore. In the past week alone, the BBMP recovered Rs 3.69 crore and sealed 203 non-residential properties, in addition to attaching 180 properties for unpaid taxes.

From the 3,95,250 defaulters identified last April, the BBMP has so far recovered Rs 404.46 crore from 1,88,497 defaulters this fiscal year.

BBMP Special Commissioner (Revenue) Munish Moudgil has directed zonal commissioners to take decisive action, including sealing commercial properties with the highest tax arrears within the BBMP limits.

Regarding properties under tax revision cases, where Rs 191.47 crore is pending across 9,691 properties, the BBMP has collected Rs 10 lakh in the past week by recovering 25 such properties. Moudgil emphasised the use of measures such as sealing, confiscation, and foreclosure to ensure recovery.

In addition, the BBMP is focusing on identifying properties with the highest outstanding dues for foreclosure. Officials plan to visit each zone this week to review actions taken on these points.