Completion certificate not mandatory for property mutation in KMC area: Mayor

Kolkata: With confusion apparently prevailing over whether in the added areas sanctioned properties can be mutated without the completion certificate (CC), Mayor Firhad Hakim has clarified that even as the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) insists for such a certificate, it is not mandatory for mutation.

Councillor of Ward 121, Rupak Ganguly recently drew the attention of the Mayor claiming that the civic body is incurring major revenue loss since several new properties are being mutated after plans are sanctioned by the KMC but without possessing the completion certificate. He said people have even started living in such properties without the CC.

The councillor also asked whether sanctioned properties in wards 1 to 100, which are outside the added areas, can be mutated without a completion certificate. He enquired how many plans were sanctioned by the civic body in his ward in 2023-24 financial year. The Mayor said that the issuance of such certificates makes it possible to carry out assessment of these properties to identify persons liable for paying the property tax. He clarified that although the KMC insists for such certificates, according to Section 183 of the KMC Act competition certificate is not mandatory for carrying out mutation of properties.

Further, the Mayor informed that in 2023-24, plans were sanctioned for 67 properties in Ward 121 while four completion certificates were issued and that construction of two houses have been completed. Earlier, the councillor had told the Mayor that for new constructions in wards 100 to 144 (added areas), no completion certificates are procured and yet these buildings get drainage connections.

He said if such a practice is encouraged then in days to come dishonest promoters would not even bother to deposit the required fees for obtaining such certificates. This, he opined, will gravely affect the revenues of the civic body.

The Mayor had said that it is illegal to provide drainage or water connections without a CC. Hakim asked the councillors to bring to the notice of KMC if they come across such cases after which strict action will be taken against the officials concerned who broke the rules.