BMTC among top 25 property tax defaulters

Transport provider owes Rs 4.4 cr to the civic body

Y Maheswara Reddy | NT

Bengaluru: The state-owned Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) is the second among the top 25 property tax defaulters by defaulting the property tax of Rs 4,44,22,372 for its four properties in Bengaluru. The BBMP is yet to recover Rs 76,45,07,000 from the 25 top defaulters.

News Trail has availed the list of top 25 property tax defaulters from the Joint Director (Revenue) of BBMP by filing a right to information application. According to the data available with the News Trail, the BMTC authorities have failed to pay property tax for its properties situated at 80 Ft Road, Koramangala Main Road (Rs 1,61,92,304), 30th Cross, 4th Block, Jayanagar (Rs 1,23,82,496), Peenya Industrial Area (Rs 81,90,188), Domlur (Rs 76,57,384). The Karnataka State Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has also failed to pay the tax Rs 2,32,24,712 to the BBMP for its property situated at Maruthi Mandir ward.

The BBMP Joint Director for Revenue has claimed of issuing notice to the defaulters. The other property tax defaulters include N Govinda Reddy and Ranga Reddy who owns a property on Devaraj Urs Road. As on November 19, 2021, both of them have failed to pay the property tax of Rs 1,89,18,992 to the BBMP, the Central Public Works Department has also defaulted paying Rs 4,02,66,387 for its property at HSR Layout Sector 1, Deeta Construction Private Limited has to pay Rs 75,76,535 towards the property tax. The BBMP has issued notices to all the defaulters, including Vertex Land Developers for not paying Rs 1,84,12,200.

According to the documents, the BBMP has issued a notice to Abhishek Developers at Subash Nagar ward to pay Rs 20,33,34,828. Gangadhar T and others have approached the High Court against the BBMP. It is said they are supposed to pay Rs 3,85,06,085. Hotels Parag Limited on Cubbon Road has been asked to pay Rs 77,75,550. However, a case is pending in the court. Nandi Constructive has been asked to pay Rs 1,97,48,776. The BBMP has issued a notice to Nandi Constructive in this regard.

It may be recalled that when Siddaiah was the BBMP Commissioner, he used to engage people to beat drums in front of the tax defaulters’ properties. Due to public criticism, the civic body withdrew such an innovative method that was applied by the BBMP contractors at the BBMP Head Office demanding the civic body to clear their dues. Meanwhile, Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation Vice Chairman Venkatesh has said that the BMTC may not be able to clear property tax dues since it has been finding it tough to pay salaries to its employees. “The BBMP may be utilizing some of our properties. We may opt for book adjustment with the BBMP,’’ Venkatesh said.