BENGALURU: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike(BBMP) is planning to tie up with architects to survey residential and commercial buildings in an effort to calculate the actual built-up area.
In several cases, building owners have declared false measurements to evade tax. BBMP has identified 18.9 lakh such properties which owe it Rs 16 lakh.
In December, BBMP had given the property owners a month’s time to declare their built-up area and pay tax accordingly.
“Since the deadline is over, architects will now re-survey the properties. Separate teams of architects will be formed for different wards,” BBMP Commissioner N Manjunath Prasad told Express.
“Talks are on with Karnataka Architects Association. They will be paid a fee on per sqft basis. Survey work is expected to start by next month after which we can expect huge amount of tax,” he said.
Commercial buildings will be surveyed first.
A senior revenue official, who did not wish to be identified, said that Self-Assessment Scheme was introduced in 2000. Under this, owners have to self-declare and assess their properties, calculate tax and pay it. BBMP officials have to inspect and levy penalty in case of any deviation. But it was not being done due to shortage of staff. The purpose of the scheme was to lessen the burden on BBMP officials.
“Many residential owners, especially from the middle class, have declared accurate measurement. But there are quite a few who have furnished wrong details. While some people constructed four to five floors and declared only two or three, other defaulters declared their commercial property as residential. In several cases,BBMP is being cheated for years,” said a BBMP official.
“Palike officials have all the right to inspect the properties anytime. Since there are lots of properties in BBMP limits, services of architects are being roped in,” the commissioner added.