Popular Tollywood studios served notices for unpaid trade licence dues

GHMC has issued notices to Annapurna Studios and Ramanaidu Studios for defaulting on trade licence fees. Annapurna Studios, which hosted Bigg Boss Season 9 without authorisation, cleared Rs 7 lakhs after receiving notices but still owes more. Ramanaidu Studios, meanwhile, paid only Rs 1,900 against dues of Rs 1.92 lakhs.

Hyderabad: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC)has issued notices to two reputed Tollywood studios, Annapurna Studios and Ramanaidu Studios, earlier this month after they defaulted on the payment of their trade licence fees.

GHMC officials said notices were served to the management of Annapurna Studios for the unpaid trade licence fee amounting to Rs 7 lakhs. The management put up a temporary set-up for the ongoing Bigg Boss Season 9 on the Annapurna Studios premises without authorisation and has been running the reality show.

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The management, which responded to the notices, paid the trade licence fee of Rs 7 lakhs recently, said the official.

The notices, issued by the GHMC’s tax wing, require the studios to explain the reason for unauthorised setting up the premises without GHMC permission and to settle the defaulted amount within a specified period.

Sources from the GHMC said that Annapurna Studios was supposed to pay a fee of Rs 11.52 lakhs but paid only Rs 49,000.

Meanwhile, Ramanaidu Studios was supposed to pay Rs 1.92 lakhs but paid only Rs 1,900. Notices have been issued to the Ramanaidu Studios management to pay the full trade licence fee.