SDMC attaches bank accounts, seals properties of defaulters

In a major haul against the property tax defaulters, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) has attached the bank accounts and sealed properties of five-star hotels, government colleges, farmhouses, government agencies and other institutions.

The SDMC informed that bank accounts of Radisson Blu Hotel in Dwarka, Jamia Hamdard University, Acharya Narendra Dev College and several others were attached and their properties might be auctioned, if the due amount was not paid within a stipulated time. 

The South Delhi Municipal Corporation also sealed farmhouses in Daulatpur, Kapashera, Mehrauli, Sultanpur, Nangli Sakrawati, Neelwal, Goyla Khurd, Paprawat, Mitraon, Maksundabad, Malikpur, Bijwasan, Ghitorni, Deramandi, Gadaipur, Fatepur Beri, etc.

SDMC Commissioner Puneet Kumar Goel said, “The department has given them every opportunity under the Act to liquidate their dues, but due to non-compliance of the assessment orders, assessment and collection department has attached the properties of the farmhouses. One of the top defaulters is Raddison Blu Hotel, which has to pay an outstanding of Rs 4.40 crore. The department has attached all its four bank accounts. Since sufficient balance was not available in these accounts, the property of the hotel has also been attached.” 

Sources in the department said if the amount is not recovered soon, it would auction the hotel to recover the property tax.

SDMC officials informed that several government and semi-government departments and organisations were also among the defaulter list.