Over 450 Properties Owe Taxes for 5+ Years: PCMC Initiates Auction Process
Pimpri, 17th February 2024: The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has cracked down on 1,012 properties for failing to pay outstanding property tax dues in the current financial year. According to PCMC officials, 346 properties have been sealed, and notices for the confiscation of property have been served to 538 owners. In addition, water connections to 128 properties have been cut by civic officials in the ongoing 2023-24 fiscal year.
PCMC officials have set their sights on taking similar action against approximately 500 more properties by March 31, 2024, and are urging citizens to settle their pending dues to avoid facing similar consequences. The tax department of PCMC emphasizes that actions such as sealing and confiscating property will be initiated against properties with pending tax dues exceeding Rs 50,000.
The Pimpri Chinchwad civic limits boast a total of 6.15 lakh registered properties, including residential, non-residential, commercial, and industrial properties. In the current financial year, the civic administration has collected property tax amounting to Rs 746 crore from 4.31 lakh property owners.
Notably, the residential properties category has a higher number of defaulters compared to other types. A senior PCMC official expressed concern, stating that despite having the financial capacity, many residential property owners have failed to make payments. Civic data reveals that a total of 1,82,665 residential property owners and over 35,000 properties, including commercial and industrial ones, are yet to settle their tax dues in the current financial year.
PCMC Assistant Municipal Commissioner Nilesh Deshmukh shared, “Our target is to collect Rs 1,000 crore through property tax in the current financial year. Appeals are being made through various social media platforms, urging citizens to clear their dues. Ward offices have been instructed to daily cut water connections and confiscate properties of defaulters in their areas. Action will be taken against properties with unpaid taxes for the last 8-10 years, despite their owners having the financial capacity to pay.”
A PCMC official revealed that over 450 residential properties owe property tax for more than five years, including over 100 properties that have not paid any tax in over a decade.
Pradeep Jambhale Patil, Additional Municipal Commissioner, PCMC, stated, “We have sought expressions of interest to expedite the process of auctioning confiscated properties. Applications from three government valuers have been received, and the process to include them in the panel will be completed within a week. Subsequently, a legal auction process will be initiated. Citizens are advised to settle pending dues against their confiscated properties to avoid this action.”
