Property owners protest ‘abnormal’ tax hike in Secunderabad Cantonment
Property owners in Secunderabad Cantonment have expressed anger over revised tax demand notices issued during the triennial revision for 2024–27. The SCB Tax Wing has re-assessed over 36,000 properties across eight civilian wards, citing the need to update records after a decade-long gap.
Hyderabad: Several property owners who received re-assessment demand notices in Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) are upset over what they describe as abnormal taxes imposed on their properties during the triennial revision.
The residents said the revised assessments have led to higher tax demands and raised concerns about the basis on which the changes were made.
The SCB has taken up the triennial revision for the year 2024-27, re-assessing properties in all eight civilian wards. Teams from the SCB Tax wing are re-measuring properties and preparing assessments after property owners submitted details through the prescribed self-assessment pro-forma.
For the exercise, the SCB chief executive officers had issued an official notification ahead of the triennial revision. According to Tax wing official records, there are over 36,000 registered properties, including residential and commercial properties, in the Cantonment.
Physical inspections are being carried out in all eight wards with teams verifying the official records of the property concerned and tallying them with the self-assessment.
“The teams also verify whether the property owner deviated from the building by-laws. Obviously, there must be an increase in the new properties during every triennial revision,” Hari Prasad Gupta, Superintendent-SCB Tax Wing, told Telangana Today.
On the increase in property tax, he said, “After a gap of 10 years, the SCB increased the property tax and implemented this in the current triennial revision. A property owner can raise an objection on the tax and state in what respect the valuation or assessment is disputed. The property owner can either visit the SCB office and contact the Chief Executive Officer in person or send the authorised person to dispose of the complaint/objection.”
Meanwhile, on Saturday, a few property owners led by the Telukunta Satish Gupta, Chairman of the Rajiv Rahadari Property Owner’s JAC, met Malkajgiri BJP MP, Etala Rajender, and said the revised tax demand notices sent by the SCB Chief Executive Officer had left property owners in deep shock.
