Since April 2018, residents of MIDC Dombivli phase II have been involved in a tug of war with KDMC (Kalyan Dombivli municipal corporation) over the hiked property tax.
Approaching general elections, as well as the financial year ending targets, have made KDMC sit up and take notice of the Dombivli MIDC residents’ long-term protests. After the residents refused to pay the five to eight times hiked property tax for the current year as well as to go for a hunger strike, KDMC commissioner has called them for a meeting on January 8. The residents are keeping their finger crossed and hope for some relief from the huge tax burden imposed upon them.
Since April 2018, residents of MIDC Dombivli phase II have been involved in a tug of war with KDMC (Kalyan Dombivli municipal corporation) over the hiked property tax. There are 27 villages in Kalyan-Dombivli jurisdiction which had gram panchayats. “But in 2015 they were included in KDMC for the development of these areas,” says Raju Nalavade, secretary, Dombivli welfare association.
For the first two years, the property tax bills of these residents who are now a part of KDMC was normal. But in 2018 they hiked it by five to eight times which really hit the residents hard. “We can understand tax hike to give us better services. But here the tax was increased up to eight times without any improvement in services rendered by KDMC,” he says.
Last year many times the residents also threatened to boycott upcoming general elections.
All these non-stop efforts have finally paid off as KDMC commissioner Govind Bodke have called them for a meeting on January 8 to discuss these issues. “I will be meeting the residents but the tax hike is 20 per cent as per the rule of the government,” says Bodke. “As per the rules if any new area is incorporated in KDMC, then there is a tax hike of 20 per cent after two years,” he adds.
FACT FILE
- There are over 400 societies, 324 bungalows in Dombivli MIDC residential zone with 30,000 people
- While the land belongs to MIDC, earlier gram panchayat and now KDMC provides them services
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