Lucknow residents protest as property tax bills surge due to flawed GIS survey, demanding transparency and legal recourse. Lucknow, known for its historical charm, is now in the throes of a tax turmoil as residents like Saurabh Mukharjee of Aliganj Sector-H face an unprecedented hike in property tax bills. Mukharjee was dumbfounded to find his bill catapulted from ₹2,268 to a staggering ₹19,351, marking an eightfold increase from the previous year.
The root cause of this tax uproar lies in the sudden expansion of assessment areas, as revealed upon Mukharjee’s inquiry. The Annual Rental Value (ARV) in the bill, a crucial determinant of property tax, surged from ₹15,120 to ₹68,000 since 2011, further perplexing residents.
Taking action, Mukharjee promptly lodged a complaint with the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC), triggering a manual reassessment that slashed his bill to ₹6,008. However, he is not alone in this battle against inflated taxes.
A city-wide Geographic Information System (GIS) survey has led to a cascade of objections from Lucknow’s populace, alleging erroneous assessment expansions even in the absence of property modifications. The grievances extend beyond property tax, with residents like Mukharjee and Ajay Kumar contesting exorbitant water tax bills based on flawed GIS assessments.
The situation has escalated to the point of residents facing eviction threats over unpaid taxes. Mukharjee recounts a harrowing encounter with the Jalkal department, which issued a notice demanding sewer tax payment under the shadow of property confiscation.
Ajay Kumar of Vrindavan colony has similar sentiments, highlighting the lack of response to complaints and the ensuing pressure to settle bills. Ram Sanehi of zone 3 and shop owner Naveen Monga share tales of unexplained tax hikes, underscoring the frustration brewing among Lucknow’s taxpayers.
Acknowledging the uproar, LMC officials attribute the discrepancies to errors inherent in satellite-based GIS surveys, calling for physical assessments to rectify inaccuracies. Municipal commissioner Inderjit Singh assures residents of a thorough review process, promising to address anomalies and provide relief to affected taxpayers.
As Lucknow grapples with this tax turmoil, residents await tangible solutions to alleviate the financial burden imposed by erroneous assessments. The city’s charm may endure, but its residents demand fairness and transparency in tax policies to preserve their livelihoods.
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