Gated community’s fight for justice

Taking the city civic body’s silence for a nod almost cost lakhs of rupees for this gated community.

The Cybercity Rainbow Vista in Moosapet with 450 apartments had made a representation to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC ) in 2015 with a request that property tax assessment not be done for their club house as it was part of Schedule A property or common area. Having not received a reply for more than two years, the residents’ association assumed that the GHMC had agreed to their demand.

Recently, upon inquiry, the association was informed that the GHMC had continued to assess the club house for property tax and not stopping at that, even added the interest for defaulting on payment of the tax.

The association has paid around ₹ 3 lakh as tax after receiving the notices but wants a waiver of interest amount as they feel its unreasonable to expect them to pay for the GHMC’s fault.

“This incident shows how lethargic GHMC is,” said H. Rama Rao, president of the association.

“The officials did not reply to our representation for two years and now expect us to pay an interest of ₹ 4 lakh. Since we are law-abiding citizens we have paid the tax but we want a waiver of interest because it was the GHMC’s fault.

We met the local public representatives and also higher officials of the GHMC and brought the issue to their notice. We want the GHMC to accept their mistake and not repeat it again,” he added.