BBMP: Seal commercial buildings with high property tax arrears

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru

As the deadline to pay property tax via the One-Time Settlement (OTS) scheme nears, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is intensifying its crackdown on non-residential defaulters in the city. Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath on Monday instructed officials to seal commercial properties of those who refuse to pay the revised tax under the Self-Assessment Scheme, including long-time defaulters.

Introduced by the state government in February this year, the OTS scheme allows defaulters to settle their property tax arrears without interest and with a reduced penalty, regardless of the duration of the arrears. However, BBMP has seen a lukewarm response to the scheme and has been actively promoting it to increase participation.

Girinath emphasized that revision cases should be given top priority. “Some enterprises use commercial electricity lines from Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) but pay taxes under the residential category,” he added. Regarding eKhata services, Girinath announced that they could be obtained at Bangalore One centers. “We have received reports of middlemen charging thousands to obtain eKhata.

At Bangalore One centers, a charge of Rs. 45 is sufficient,” he stated. When questioned about clearing encroachments along rajakaluves (stormwater drains), Girinath admitted that some officials were complicit in permitting encroachments. “The Revenue Department’s survey aims to establish more buffer zones.