BMC to levy three times property tax on illegal structures at Worli mill

BMC’s  internal probe committee had found 40% (16,000 sq m) of built-up area on the premises of Worli’s Raghuvanshi Mills to be illegal, civic officials said that they have decided to propose penalty on property tax being paid by those using unauthorized space. At present, the BMC receives nearly Rs 4.5 crore in property tax from structures located at Raghuvanshi Mills. Now, the civic body plans to levy property tax on the illegal space as well and in addition to that, owners will have to pay a penalty of twice this tax. An official explained, “Consider a case, wherein a person owns 1,000 sq ft for which he is paying property tax and has added 200 sq ft of construction illegally. Now, s/he will have to pay property tax for the 200 sq ft, and as penalty, twice the property tax on the illegal area. Thus, though the owner is occupying 1,200 sq ft, s/he will be asked to pay property tax for 1,600 sq ft.