SALEM: Alleging an unprecedented and disproportionate increase in property tax by the Salem City Municipal Corporation, traders of Leigh Bazaar have warned that they will soon launch a shop closure protest if the revised rates are not rolled back.
Office-bearers of the Leigh Bazaar Traders' Association addressed reporters in Salem on Tuesday and detailed the impact of the revision, stating that nearly two years ago, during the first phase of reassessment, property tax for about 1,500 commercial establishments in the area was increased multi-fold. They said the hike has severely affected traders who have been operating in the locality for several decades.
According to the association members, shops that were earlier paying in thousands as annual property tax are now being served revised demands of up to around a lakh. In certain cases, they claimed, the tax demand has gone as high as Rs 2 lakh. The traders alleged that in some instances, the increase amounts to nearly multiple times the earlier tax, which they described as arbitrary and unjustified.
Despite submitting several representations and repeatedly urging the civic administration to reconsider the hike and provide relief, the corporation authorities have not responded positively, the association alleged. The traders said the sharp increase has placed immense financial pressure on small and medium-scale business owners, many of whom are already struggling due to fluctuating sales and rising operational costs. They added that such a situation would have a long-term impact on the commercial character of Leigh Bazaar, which is one of the prominent trading hubs in the city.
The association warned that if the revised property tax is not reduced before the upcoming Assembly elections, they would unite with other traders' bodies and stakeholders to intensify their agitation. "If there is no favourable response, we will be left with no option but to organise a complete shop closure protest," they said.
The traders urged the Salem City Municipal Corporation to immediately review the revised assessment, hold discussions with affected shop owners and implement a fair and reasonable tax structure that does not threaten the survival of long-standing businesses in the area.