<p>Bengaluru: Going hard on property tax defaulters, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) sealed down the Rockline Mall in Dasarahalli on Wednesday. The BBMP officials revealed that the mall owners had failed to pay property tax since the mall’s inauguration in 2011. The dues have grown over the years and the mall now owes close to Rs 11.51 crore in property taxes, the BBMP officials said. “Even if they had made partial payments, the dues would have been lesser. However, they have not made any payment towards property tax, and the dues along with the interest has grown up to Rs 11.51 crore,” a senior BBMP official from Dasarahalli zone said.</p>.<p>According to sources, the mall owners have not responded to multiple demand notices from BBMP and are planning to contest the move in the High Court. “Even after the closure, there has been no response to our notice. We were told that they are planning to get a stay order from the High Court. We will fight this legally,” the official said.</p>.<p>The closure is a part of the ongoing drive against property tax evaders. Over the last few months, BBMP’s revenue department has been sending notices to defaulters and the revenue officials have also been asked to follow up on the defaulters.</p>.<p>“Zonal level officials are closely monitoring the property tax defaulters and issuing notices. We want to crack down on bigger defaulters first,” said Munish Moudgil, Special Commissioner (Revenue), Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike.</p>.<p>Over the last six months, BBMP has sealed at least 10,603 shops and commercial establishments and close to 45,000 notices have been issued since November 2023.</p>.<p>With an aim to improve the revenue from property tax, BBMP is also serving notices to owners underpaying property tax. Recently, the officials also impounded movable properties such as cars and school buses for defaulting the property tax.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: Going hard on property tax defaulters, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) sealed down the Rockline Mall in Dasarahalli on Wednesday. The BBMP officials revealed that the mall owners had failed to pay property tax since the mall’s inauguration in 2011. The dues have grown over the years and the mall now owes close to Rs 11.51 crore in property taxes, the BBMP officials said. “Even if they had made partial payments, the dues would have been lesser. However, they have not made any payment towards property tax, and the dues along with the interest has grown up to Rs 11.51 crore,” a senior BBMP official from Dasarahalli zone said.</p>.<p>According to sources, the mall owners have not responded to multiple demand notices from BBMP and are planning to contest the move in the High Court. “Even after the closure, there has been no response to our notice. We were told that they are planning to get a stay order from the High Court. We will fight this legally,” the official said.</p>.<p>The closure is a part of the ongoing drive against property tax evaders. Over the last few months, BBMP’s revenue department has been sending notices to defaulters and the revenue officials have also been asked to follow up on the defaulters.</p>.<p>“Zonal level officials are closely monitoring the property tax defaulters and issuing notices. We want to crack down on bigger defaulters first,” said Munish Moudgil, Special Commissioner (Revenue), Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike.</p>.<p>Over the last six months, BBMP has sealed at least 10,603 shops and commercial establishments and close to 45,000 notices have been issued since November 2023.</p>.<p>With an aim to improve the revenue from property tax, BBMP is also serving notices to owners underpaying property tax. Recently, the officials also impounded movable properties such as cars and school buses for defaulting the property tax.</p>