BBMP makes history, collects Rs 95 crore in property tax from government buildings

In a historic achievement, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has successfully collected a staggering Rs 95 crore in pending property tax dues from various government departments.

These dues, pending for nearly a decade, were cleared in just the last two days of the financial year. Following a stern notice issued last week, the BBMP had warned that government properties with pending tax dues would be auctioned if payments weren’t made by March 31.

The pressure tactic paid off, as over 20 government buildings, including iconic landmarks like Vidhana Soudha, Vikasa Soudha, and Raj Bhavan, responded swiftly and cleared their dues. Namma Metro and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) were the top contributors, paying Rs 18.90 crore and Rs 15.55 crore respectively. Other notable payments included:

Vidhana Soudha & Vikasa Soudha: Rs 6.64 crore

MS Building: Rs 3.38 crore

Health and Family Welfare Dept.: Rs 4.08 crore

BSNL: Rs 1.43 crore

Income Tax Dept.: Rs 1.22 crore

KPCL: Rs 3.78 crore

VV Tower: Rs 1.18 crore

Even smaller departments like the Police, APMC Market, PWD, and Youth Empowerment cleared their dues, contributing lakhs in overdue taxes. This strong enforcement move marks a major milestone for BBMP in its drive to recover long-pending dues and boost its revenue. BBMP officials hailed the recovery as a significant step toward financial discipline and accountability among government institutions. They emphasized that this success sets a precedent for future collections and sends a clear message that no entity, including government bodies, is exempt from paying property taxes.