BMC Grants Three-Month Extension for Property Tax Payments in Mumbai
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has provided much-needed relief to Mumbai residents by extending the deadline for property tax payments. This decision follows a wave of petitions and protests organized by residents and supported by various NGOs, challenging the new property tax system. The BMC had received significant criticism concerning its newly implemented property tax structure, with a large volume of complaints being registered against it.
Residents Express Concerns Over New Property Tax System
The new system calculates property tax based on the capital value of the property. Residents of Mumbai argue that this system is flawed and have voiced their concerns to the civic body about what they perceive as partiality in the billing system. This recent bill represents the first sent after the property tax revision and includes back-taxes from 2010, adding to the residents' financial strain. The inclusion of these past dues significantly compounded the difficulties faced by the citizens of Mumbai, prompting demands for an extension or installment payment options.
BMC Responds to Public Outcry
The original deadline set by the BMC was March 31. Following the considerable number of requests and pleas from residents, the Corporation chose to extend the deadline for an additional three months. A senior official from the BMC acknowledged the significant number of pleas received concerning the payment timeframe and the financial burden placed on the residents. "BMC has received large number of pleas regarding more time to pay the bills," the official stated, further expounding that "[people] would be falling [under] additional financial burden as they were to pay the bills of three years together." With Municipal Commissioner Sitaram Kunte's decision to grant this extension, residents now have a reprieve to manage this combined financial obligation. The decision offers a welcome respite to Mumbai's residents facing the financial pressures of the revised property tax system. This provides much-needed breathing room for those struggling with the cumulative tax burden from previous years.