Nagpur: Tightening the noose on property tax defaulters, Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) is planning to freeze bank accounts of commercial establishments and seize movable and immovable properties, including TVs and refrigerators, to recover dues.The special recovery drive, perhaps the toughest yet by the civic body, will run from August 20 to Sept 30, with more than 400 personnel from the tax and other civic departments deployed across the city. NMC commissioner Vipin Itankar has set a target of recovering at least Rs1,000 crore from the estimated Rs2,400 crore in property tax arrears accumulated over the past few years.At a special review meeting of tax collectors at District Planning Bhavan on Tuesday, Itankar directed all 10 zones to make recovery their top priority. Commercial, mixed-use and other non-residential properties, along with vacant plots, will be targeted first.Particular attention will be given to 703 properties with arrears exceeding Rs5 lakh and 3,924 owing between Rs1 lakh and Rs5 lakh.Recovery teams will be equipped with POS machines to enable defaulters to make on-the-spot payments during field visits.The civic body will also disconnect water and sewer connections at properties with outstanding dues. The water supply and solid waste management departments have been instructed to assist the tax department.Under Rule 42, civic teams will issue warrants to seize TVs, refrigerators and other movable assets, as well as attach immovable properties. For commercial establishments, the civic body’s service and fee department will obtain bank account details and initiate legal proceedings to freeze them.Itankar said the drive would be reviewed weekly to monitor zone-wise progress. The NMC has warned taxpayers that no penalty waiver will be granted and urged them to clear their outstanding dues without delay.
