CHANDIGARH: Municipal Corporation Chandigarh officials have disclosed that the city’s top 20 property tax defaulters still owe over Rs 190 crore, with Rs 62 crore in arrear cases currently in litigation in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Various reasons have led occupants of seven out of the top 20 properties to contest the MC’s claimed arrears, resulting in the authority’s inability to recover the dues. All contested properties are classified as commercial.
According to official data from the Municipal Corporation, commercial properties in the IT Park owe Rs 45 crore in dues. The Golf Club has not paid Rs 12.20 crore, while one plot in the industrial area owes Rs 1.19 crore. “Hotel James Plaza is liable for Rs 1.17 crore, Hotel Taj Rs 1.15 crore, Anand Theatre Rs 80.42 lakhs, and Golf Range Rs 55.8 lakhs,” stated a senior official.
Sources from the MC indicated, “The disputes concerning IT Park properties focus on land issues, while the Golf Club’s contention involves discrepancies regarding the constructed and non-constructed areas. In other cases, occupants have filed lawsuits. We are mounting our defense based on our records and are optimistic about a favorable outcome.”
Owing to the substantial sums involved in these disputes, municipal councillor Maheshinder Singh Sidhu raised the matter during the monthly general house meeting on Tuesday, urging officers to engage senior, competent legal counsel to recover the owed funds. Sidhu emphasized the critical need for dedicated efforts to resolve the issue and reclaim the outstanding money.
