Special Correspondent
Pune : To address the growing issue of unpaid property taxes, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has announced that it will begin disconnecting water connections for defaulters starting in January.
Despite multiple notices and warnings, many property owners in the city have failed to clear their outstanding property tax bills, prompting the civic body to take a more stringent approach to recover the dues.
The decision comes in response to the PMC’s struggle to recover a significant amount of property tax arrears, which now exceed Rs 10,000 crore. Approximately 3.5 lakh property owners have not met their tax obligations, and the situation is particularly concerning for the fiscal year 2024-25. The PMC had initially set a target of collecting Rs 2,727 crore in taxes, but as of now, only Rs 1,900 crore has been collected, leaving a substantial gap.
Despite ongoing efforts to recover overdue taxes, including a recent December campaign that involved sealing properties and other enforcement measures, many defaulters continue to avoid payment, offering various excuses. The PMC has so far recovered Rs 71.41 crore through these efforts but is still grappling with a large number of defaulters.
To enforce the new measures, the city’s water department will work alongside the tax collection teams. Plumbers will be tasked with disconnecting water supplies for properties with significant unpaid taxes, and area inspectors will oversee the disconnections to ensure compliance with regulations.
The PMC has stated that once a water connection is disconnected due to unpaid taxes, it will only be reinstated once the full amount, including penalties, is paid. This measure is expected to pressure property owners to settle their dues promptly and avoid further disruptions.
The recovery efforts have faced resistance in some areas, especially in the 34 villages recently merged into the PMC. Residents in these areas have expressed dissatisfaction with the property tax levies imposed by the civic body, further complicating the task of collecting the dues.
