Revenue officials of the Chennai Corporation sealed 10 shops in the Koyambedu wholesale market on Wednesday after shop owners failed to pay property tax dues.
Following a Madras High Court directive to seal the 729 shops that have not paid tax dues, the Corporation authorities set up counters at the flower, vegetable and fruits market in the complex and also made announcements about the collection drive.
According to sources, property tax dues to the tune of ₹1.23 crore were collected from 441 shop owners on Wednesday. “We will continue the drive on Thursday too and seal the rest of the shops that fail to pay the arrears,” an official said.
Traders in confusion
However, confusion prevailed in the market among some of the shop owners pertaining to tax payment.
L. Sathyanarayanan, a wholesale vegetable merchant, said, “I was allotted the shop in 2011 by the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority. But I’ve been asked to pay tax arrears from 1996 when the market was inaugurated and it works to nearly ₹31,000. Why should I pay tax for the previous defaulter too.”
Wholesale merchants also noted that they were paying maintenance fee every month to the Market Management Committee. But, the facilities were poorly maintained and there was no proper infrastructure, including water supply.
M. Thyagarajan, president of Koyambedu Vegetable, Fruits and Flowers Merchants Welfare Association, said that about 70% of the shop owners have paid property tax dues.
Several shops that were closed down due to business loss in vegetable and flower market were also asked to pay tax dues.
“We are planning to represent to the authorities about collection of tax arrears for the years even before the shops were allotted to the merchants,” Mr. Thyagarajan said.