The city corporation is grappling with poor building tax collection owing to the sluggish pace of regularisation of unauthorised constructions (UAC). Those who have purchased such properties too are having a tough time.
The UAC category entails three times more than the normal building tax which building owners are reluctant to pay up.
The government order says the UAC tag should be dropped in the case of small violations, and that the builder should pay penalty. Though several builders have expressed willingness to pay up, the alleged apathy of the Town Planning Department is delaying the process.
A builder at Ernahipalam said he had been chasing his UAC file for the last three years. The objections raised by officials during a surprise building inspection were the construction of a covered car parking area and the lack of a disabled-friendly toilet. Despite addressing the two issues, the UAC category was not lifted, said a builder who had already sold apartment units.
He had petitioned the Minister for Local Self-Governments during a recent sitting that the total tax liability on the building comprising nine units was around ₹27,000 last year. “It would have been just below ₹10,000 if the regularisation request was processed in time after re-inspections,” he pointed out.
The pending procedures on similar applications have put a number of urban residents who had purchased properties that fall under the UAC category in a spot. Since some properties were brought under the unauthorised category even after the allotment of occupancy letter and building number, the builders concerned too were found indifferent to the necessary rectification work for further approval.
“As the property comes under UAC tag, we cannot sell it. Though we have already registered the property, the formalities at the village office are still pending,” said A. Sajeevan, resident of a UAC category flat. “Though we frequently visit the town planning section for speeding up procedures, there has been no positive response,” he alleged.
Meanwhile, the corporation authorities claimed that the approval of building plans and regularisation process had improved a lot with the introduction of a software-based system. M.C. Anilkumar, chairman of the standing committee on town planning, said only the regularisation of major violations during the construction phase, especially those in coastal areas, was pending. “The clearance from the Central government will be required in the case of unauthorised constructions in coastal areas violating CRZ norms. For the rest, it could be lifted after the recommended rectifications,” he pointed out.