The Greater Chennai Corporation has suspended its tax revision initiative immediately. This decision follows significant opposition from residential property owners and commercial establishments who expressed strong discontent with the proposed changes.
Tax Revision Halted Following Public Grievances
A recent statement confirmed that the government has decided to suspend the proposed tax revision immediately. This decision comes after receiving several grievance petitions from the public in the past few days, urging a reconsideration of the revision. The statement noted that officials conducted a careful examination of the revision and the associated public concerns before reaching this conclusion.
Meanwhile, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) had said on Thursday that the increase in property prices was a massive blow to the people of Chennai. State minister R Nirmal Kumar also clarified that only ‘reassessment’ of buildings both residential and commercial were taking place and there was no hike in proper taxes. “Property tax has not been hiked anywhere. “The inspector came with a measurement instrument and did the assessment. “We do not know the exact reason. On behalf of the Greater Chennai Corporation, raising property tax once in a while is a common practice. However, it has never been such a massive blow to the people as this.”
Now the property tax is increased to 250 per cent from the earlier ₹ 4,480 for six months to ₹ 11,330 now.” he said. Another resident said he has been paying ₹ 9,000 as property taxes per year but it has been revised to ₹ 23,000 per year now.
How is it fair if someone builds a house on a 1 lakh square foot land but pays tax only for 1,000 square foot land” he said, adding that the move also aimed to correct irregularities “during the past 5 years of previous government across all major corporations, including Madurai. Seshagiri, a long time resident of Sholinganallur, said he bought a property two years back and the registration documents were obtained after the inspection and assessment. This is not property tax this is collecting indirect taxes.”, a resident said, after interacting with a corporation official. Former health minister and DMK leader Ma Subramanian said, “Over the past few days, news that has been widely discussed by the people of Chennai is the property tax hike.
