Taj Mahal may be 'attached' by Agra administration, gets tax notice first time since 1648

Taj Mahal, the mainstay of India's tourism sector, has received a tax notice for the first time ever. The monument was commissioned by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in 1632 and was structurally completed in 1648. At no point in time it was taxed. However, the Agra municipal body has demanded water and property taxes from the Archeological Survey of India, which manages most of the historical monuments in the country.

Raj Kumar Patel, ASI Superintendent Archaeologist, has confirmed that they have received the notice. He told the media that the asked property tax is worth Rs 1.40 lakh and the water tax is over Rs 1 crore.

According to reports, the bills are for the financial year 2020-2021 and 2021-2022. 

Patel told TOI that this is the first time they have received the bills. He said it appears to be a mistake as monuments don't have to pay taxes. He said since there is no commercial use of the property, they are not liable for the property tax.

Municipal Commissioner Nikhil T Funde told the newspaper that he wasn't aware of the notice to the 16th century monument. However, all buildings, including the government and religious buildings, have been asked to pay their taxes.

Taj Mahal was declared a protected monument by the British Raj in 1920. It is still a protected monument and a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The municipal body has also told ASI that the property will be attached if the bills are not paid on time. 

Taj Mahal was built by the Emperor in the memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. More than 6 million people visit the monument every year.