Mohali Golf Range sealed over ₹13 lakh unpaid taxes

Officials from the Mohali Municipal Corporation have sealed the Mohali Golf Range due to unpaid property taxes. The golf range owes more than ₹13 lakh for the financial years 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24. Parminder Pal Singh, the MC commissioner, stated that the corporation had sent multiple reminders but received no payment. He emphasized that strict actions will be taken against all chronic defaulters, as laws apply equally to everyone. Additionally, many clubs in Mohali are under scrutiny for incorrectly categorizing their property taxes. One notable club is accused of paying taxes as a social club when it should be classified as a commercial club. This has led to an outstanding tax bill of over ₹50 lakh. Earlier this year, the MC had issued sealing notices to 14 businesses that had defaulted on commercial property taxes. The municipal body issued more than 200 notices to defaulters last October and December, aiming to collect the owed amounts. As of now, various government departments also owe taxes, totaling around ₹6.5 lakh. Despite these issues, the MC has achieved a record collection of ₹42 crore in property tax for the financial year, exceeding its target. Looking forward, the MC plans to collect ₹50 crore in property taxes for the next financial year. Approximately 5,800 commercial properties, 38,000 residential properties, and 2,000 industrial properties fall under its jurisdiction. To ensure accurate tax payments, the MC is conducting a door-to-door survey. They suspect some businesses may not be paying the correct amounts. Taxpayers were previously given a 10% rebate until September 2024. Those who failed to pay will face penalties; payments can still be made with a 10% penalty until March 31, after which the penalty increases to 20%, plus interest.