Residents of Aurangabad’s fringe areas forced to assess own properties for tax

AURANGABAD: Several property owners in the fringe areas, which were merged with the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) in 2016, claim they are being harassed for assessment of property taxes done on their own.

With the local civic body allegedly shying away from its responsibility of bringing the properties under the tax net, a section of citizens claimed that they are now taking help of agents for evaluation of property tax.

The non-assessment of properties, especially those that have come after 2016, is bound to put a burden on the citizens as they will have to clear their outsanding dues in one go in the future.

A resident of the Satara area said the AMC has not contacted the association of flat owners for evaluation of property tax. “We have been living in the area for over two years now. It is the duty of the civic authorities to assess properties and decide the tax amount, but that is not happening,” he said.

Another resident from Deolai area said he had approached the AMC for evaluation of tax. “I had to apply for an education loan for my son and receipt of payment of property tax was one of the required documents. As the AMC failed to evaluate the property tax, I had to apply for the same on my own,” he said.

Some residents said the agents were charging around Rs 3,000 as commission for to bring their property under the tax net.

Aparna Thete, in-charge of AMC tax department, could not be reached for her comments. A civic official said Satara-Deolai was one of the areas from where maximum collection of property tax has been done. “Some properties might be out of the tax net as the work (of bringing new properties) was affected due to the pandemic,” he said.

Tax rate remains unchanged

The AMC has kept the property tax rate unchanged for the year 2023-24. Appealing to the citizens to make timely tax payment, the civic authorities said the crackdown will be intensified against defaulters.