Patna: Patna Municipal Corporation is conducting hearings at its circle offices over notices issued in connection with commercial activities in residential areas, with officials clarifying that property owners are currently being given an opportunity to submit their responses and supporting documents.
The scrutiny has also uncovered cases in which properties were served notices under the commercial category despite no commercial activity being carried out on the premises.
Residents from several localities, including Raja Bazar, have approached circle offices claiming that their properties are being used exclusively for residential purposes.
Some properties have also been placed under an “Other Category” where the nature of their use could not be clearly determined. Corporation officials will investigate such cases and make necessary corrections to the records based on their findings.
Commercial tax on a residential property? Owners can challenge it
Property owners who claim that commercial tax has been wrongly imposed on a residential property can present their case before the Corporation by submitting an affidavit along with the required documents.
A Municipal Corporation team will subsequently conduct a physical inspection of the property.
If the inspection establishes that the premises are being used exclusively for residential purposes and were incorrectly assessed for commercial tax, the Corporation will make the necessary corrections to its records.
What if there is no approved building plan?
Property owners who do not have an approved building plan will be required to submit a written undertaking stating that the construction was carried out without plan approval.
They will also have to undertake to obtain the necessary approval in accordance with the applicable rules.
Those who are outside Patna or unable to attend a hearing on the scheduled date because of health-related reasons can approach the concerned official to seek an extension and obtain a fresh hearing date.
Over 19,600 notices issued
Around 26,714 commercial properties have been identified in Patna as part of the exercise being undertaken in accordance with Supreme Court directions.
Notices have so far been issued to more than 19,600 property owners.
Around 30 to 40 people are appearing for hearings at different circle offices each day, with more than 1,800 property owners having appeared so far. In the Pataliputra zone alone, more than 450 people have submitted their responses.
Most owners arriving without complete documents
Corporation officials have found during the hearings that many property owners are appearing without all the required documents. Only around 10% of those appearing have been able to produce an approved building plan.
Property owners responding to the notices have been asked to provide relevant documents, including the land registry or Khatiyan, mutation certificate issued by the Circle Officer, Corporation-approved building plan, commercial establishment registration and identity proof.
The Corporation has maintained that property owners will be given an opportunity to present their case before further action is taken, while discrepancies identified during scrutiny and physical verification will be corrected in its records.
