The BBMPStanding Committee on Taxation and Finance on Tuesday sealed some shops in a commercial complex on K G Road in an apparent crackdown on property tax defaulters.
Speaking to Express, Committee Chairman Dr M S Shivaprasad said the shops were located in a commercial building belonging to the Nagartha Trust on K G Road. A total of 15 shops are located in the building with their owners paying annual rent of `7 lakh to the Trust. “They had not paid taxes for the past five years. We issued many notices, but the shop owners did not respond. They have to pay nearly `5 crore, including penalty,” Shivaprasad said.
Shivaprasad explained that BBMP will start collecting rent directly from the tax defaulters in the complex till they clear their dues. He added that some owners opposed the decision. “We have allowed some shops to stay open as their owners have given undertakings to pay rent to BBMP. Shops that did not give undertakings have been closed,” he said.
The Committee members also inspected shops at Mantri Square mall on Sampige Road. Shivaprasad said around 30 per cent of shops operating there had not obtained trade licences “We have issued notice to these shops,” Shivaprasad said.
Underpass by January-end
Mayor B S Sathyanarayana on Tuesday declared that the underpass being constructed at C N R Rao Circle near Yeshwantpur will be ready by January 30 next year. He was speaking after inspecting progress of work along Bangalore Metro’s Reach 3 stretch.
‘Renovate Park’
During his inspection, the Mayor noticed that the BBMP park near Mysore Sandal Soap Factory at Yeshwantpur was being used as a parking lot. As a result of ongoing work on the Metro, the park’s compound wall had been demolished and customers going to Orion Mall were parking their vehicles in the park premises.
He directed officials to clear such encroachments and develop the park in the next 20 days.