Bengaluru: With over 3 lakh vacant sites in the city, many outside the property tax net, Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) has said it will gradually map and tax such properties as it begins a citywide drive to clear overgrown plots.
Bengaluru has more than 3 lakh vacant sites, many of which are yet to be brought under the tax system, according to the revenue department. As of now, we’re taking up those with e-khata so that we can recover the cost.
Speaking after inaugurating the clean-up drive in Domlur Thursday, Bengaluru development minister Krishna Byre Gowda said the authority would initially focus on vacant sites with e-khata records, allowing it to recover clean-up costs through property tax. Later, we’ll map the remaining vacant lands, bring them under the tax net and cover them accordingly,” he said. Gowda said the exercise would help the civic body identify such properties and improve tax compliance. These logistics significantly increase the cost,” he said. Under the ongoing “freedom from waste” campaign, authorities have so far cleared 1.2 lakh tonnes of construction and demolition waste across Bengaluru. Officials said clean-up costs incurred by the civic body would be recovered from owners through the property tax mechanism wherever applicable.
“We do have issues with vacant lands not being under the tax net. The minister also acknowledged the high cost of the clean-up operation and urged owners to clear their plots themselves. “The earth-moving machine (JCB) has to remain on site for hours and the waste has to be transported to designated disposal locations, most of which are on the city’s outskirts.