GHMC's new property tax bleeds citizens

Hyderabad: While owners whose properties have already been assessed by the GHMC get bloated property tax bills, the GHMC has increased the per square feet fee and has added the same in the property demand draft this year. Instead of assessing new properties, officials zeroed in on those who have applied for building regulations scheme, and increased the property tax for old buildings, complain many

Property tax for existing residential houses has not been increased since 2002 and reassessment needs to be done only in respect of properties that have constructed extra area/floors without permission. GHMC circle offices must reassess the existing residential properties only if the plinth area is different on the ground from the available GHMC data.

Explained the president of Malkajgiri resident welfare association, B. T. Srinivas: “The residential property tax revised recently by GHMC at circle offices is a shocker to building owners. As per ROC. No. 1479/CT1/-CTS/ GHMC/2007-08 dated February 1, 2008, there was no increase in property tax on residential buildings. GHMC, after the 2016 municipal elections, issued orders to reassess all properties whose property tax was below Rs 1,200 and were waived by the TRS government.” “But, the officials have conducted a reassessment of properties that fall under this category. GHMC’s circle offices revised and increased property tax with imposition of heavy penalty on properties that were assessed earlier as per their existing plinth area.”Owners came to know of the revised property tax when they went to pay their tax.