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In south Mumbai alone, as many as 132 such high-end vehicles have been checked and penalised this year for non-payment of taxes. Sources said that the maximum tax is up to Rs 30 lakh. On Saturday, Andheri RTO officials said they continued their drive and inspected a total of 55 luxury cars and issued formal tax assessment notices demanding lump-sum tax payments from 32 defaulting owners.
Transport commissioner Rajesh Narvekar said that notices will also be issued for cancellation of licences of a few vehicle dealers for their role in the offence. The RTO has already identified at least five such dealers in the city and action will be initiated against them, an official said. “The primary objective remains strict enforcement, curbing tax evasion, and recovering rightful state revenue,” said Narvekar.
Those caught will also have to pay penalties along with the pending taxes. To prevent further non-compliance, authorities confiscated all associated vehicle documents, which will now undergo a rigorous mandatory re-verification process at the RTO level. Deputy RTO Nikhil Salunkhe on Saturday said several luxury cars had been recently registered in other states, with the maximum number in Diu and Daman, using outside address proofs, despite being permanently used in Mumbai to bypass local taxes.
Spearheaded by deputy RTO Swapnil Mane, alongside a focused team of assistant RTO officers and Motor Vehicle Inspectors, this decisive action sends a stern message against regulatory non-compliance.