The hike in property tax since the time of revision has not been welcomed by the residents of Nanganallur, Adambakkam, Alandur and surrounding areas.
The reason being unfair surge and several residents have filed petitions against the same. The case is still awaiting to be heard in Madras High Court.
Rama Rao, a social activist from the neighbourhood, gave a comparison, “While actor Rajinikanth residing in posh Poes Garden pays Rs 2. 66 per foot whereas residents here are forced to give Rs 2.50 or Rs 3.50 per foot.”
It has to be noted that people of R K Salai, Mount Road pay Rs 1.50, Triplicane Rs 1.25 and Boat Club Road residents pay Rs 2. The residents further state that there had not been enough infrastructural developments since a long time for the amount they are liable to pay as property tax.
Eleven of 825 streets in the neighbourhood are charged at a Basic Street Rate (BSR) of Rs 3.50 per sq ft and the remaining lanes have to pay Rs 2.50 per sq ft.
“In areas like Mylapore, Triplicane and the like, around 50 buses ply in five or 10 minutes. Take the case of Nanganallur, not even 50 buses can be spotted on an average day. Similarly, people of Triplicane can easily get treatment from three public hospitals situated in the same locality, which is not the case for us,” added Rama Rao.
He further alleges that the formula with which the tax is calculated is not convincing. About it, Rama Rao explained, “I sought an explanation about it and the corporation official said the amount was arrived based on the rent that the house would receive. A rental house of 1, 000 sq ft in Cenatoph Road or R K Salai would fetch at least Rs 60, 000 per month whereas in our locality, the same house would receive only Rs 12, 000 or so.”
As per the same calculation, he stated that only such posh areas should be charged more. “While they pay a nominal amount with several facilities available, including high rent, it is the suburban residents who are facing the brunt,” he added.
Amid this, majority of the residents aligned with the federation groups stand in solidarity and have refrained from paying the tax until the problem is resolved.
When News Today contacted official from Zone 12, he accepted that the revision has been unequal and said, “The revenue that generated from the hike would be used for infrastructural development. People would have purchased a ground for nominal amount decades ago and the prices have gone up now. While they are enjoying the appreciation now, it is fair enough only when they pay what is required and the hike amount is justified, that way.”