HYDERABAD: Close on the heels of sealing DAV public school premises at Neredmet, which however was objected to by the court, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) central zone officials yesterday cracked whip on the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) by sealing it’s kalyana mandapam located at Baghlingampally. The GHMC officials also seized furniture and other property from the premises.
The seizure, GHMC officials said, was done as the corporation authorities failed to pay property tax of Rs 5.5 crore and that it has been pending for the last 10 years.
“After we issued warrants and red notices to the management of the RTC, more than 10 times earlier, to clear the property tax, we have decided to lock the premises of the RTC kalyana mandapam (Kala Bhavan).
We will strengthen the move against tax defaulters,” said S Hari Krishna, additional commissioner (Revenue and Finance), GHMC.
He said the APSRTC had to pay Rs 1.16 crore property tax on Kala Bhavan alone while the remaining amount was to be paid for other properties owned by it. “We will not hesitate to take stern action against defaulters who have been failing to clear their dues for years. We will again serve notices to the RTC management and if it fails to respond, we will seal their other properties,’’ warned Hari Krishna.
According to officials, at least 4 lakh property owners did not pay property tax last year. In fact, they owe dues to the tune of Rs 343 crore to the civic body.
Of the owners of 11 lakh properties in the city, four lakh people, most of them from the old city and upmarket areas like Banjara Hills, Jubilee Hills and other localities in the twin cities, did not pay tax.