Taj Mahal requested to pay Rs 1 crore property tax to keep away from getting ‘connected’

Express News Service

LUCKNOW: In a primary, the Municipal Corporation of Agra has issued a discover to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) asking it to pay property tax value Rs 1.47 lakh and a water invoice value Rs 1.9 crore for the monument of affection, the enduring Taj Mahal.

A interval of 15 days has been given to ASI to pay the payments, failing which the property (Taj Mahal) can be “attached.”

However, the ASI claimed that the discover issued by the Agra Municipal Corporation gave the impression to be a ‘mistake’.

The ASI superintending archaeologist for Agra circle, Dr Raj Kumar Patel confirmed the notices saying that three notices had been acquired by ASI so far– two for the Taj Mahal and one for the Agra Fort. For the Taj Mahal, the discover for water tax value Rs 1 crore and one for property tax value Rs 1.47 lakh has been acquired by the ASI. 

Asserting that monuments weren’t responsible for municipal taxes, Patel stated that the notices appeared to have been despatched by mistake and the ASI had reverted to Nagar Nigam Agra on the identical.

“Property tax is not applicable on monuments. We are also not liable to pay taxes for water as there is no commercial use of it. Water is used to maintain greenery within the premises. Notices related to water and property tax for the Taj Mahal have been received for the first time. It could have been sent by mistake,” stated Patel.

Significantly, over a century in the past, the Taj Mahal was declared a protected monument of nationwide significance in 1920. Since then, that is the primary time that such notices pertaining to water tax and property tax have been issued in opposition to it.

The notices, acquired by ASI officers not too long ago, had been issued by the tax fixation officer of Agra Municipal Corporation on November 25. 

The Taj Mahal is a world heritage web site situated on the south financial institution of river Yamuna in Agra. Built between 1631 and 1648 by order of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in reminiscence of his spouse Mumtaz Mahal, the 307-year-old monument, figuring among the many seven wonders of the world, attracts tens of millions of vacationers from each nook and nook of the globe yearly.

The discover for the monetary 12 months 2021-22 and 2022-23 of Municipal Corporation reportedly has the point out of curiosity of Rs 47943 incurred over the property tax of Rs 88784 in opposition to the Taj Mahal until March 31, 2022.

The property tax of 2022-23 to the tune of Rs 11098 has additionally been talked about within the discover. It has the breakup of whole property tax of Rs 147826 pending in opposition to the Taj.

Patel stated that property tax or home tax was not relevant to monuments and the identical legislation was relevant in UP as properly. The Agra fort, a UNESCO world heritage web site constructed by the Mughal emperor Akbar, was the principle residence of the emperors of the Mughal dynasty till 1638 when the capital was sifted to Delhi.

This historic monument has additionally acquired a tax demand value Rs 5 crore, stated the ASI official.

Meanwhile, civic authorities claimed that the discover was served for property and water tax pending in opposition to the ticket window and residential wing on the jap gate of the Taj Mahal and never the monument itself, Municipal commissioner Nikhil T Funde expressed ignorance.

He claimed that he was not conscious of any such tax-related notices issued in opposition to Taj Mahal and any motion can be initiated in that route on the idea of the response acquired from ASI. Assistant municipal commissioner and in-charge of the Tajganj zone, Sarita Singh, stated that the matter associated to notices issued for water and property tax on the Taj Mahal was being investigated.

A non-public firm has been tasked to understand tax on the idea of a Geographic Information Survey (GIS), he added. 

LUCKNOW: In a primary, the Municipal Corporation of Agra has issued a discover to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) asking it to pay property tax value Rs 1.47 lakh and a water invoice value Rs 1.9 crore for the monument of affection, the enduring Taj Mahal.

A interval of 15 days has been given to ASI to pay the payments, failing which the property (Taj Mahal) can be “attached.”

However, the ASI claimed that the discover issued by the Agra Municipal Corporation gave the impression to be a ‘mistake’.

The ASI superintending archaeologist for Agra circle, Dr Raj Kumar Patel confirmed the notices saying that three notices had been acquired by ASI so far– two for the Taj Mahal and one for the Agra Fort. For the Taj Mahal, the discover for water tax value Rs 1 crore and one for property tax value Rs 1.47 lakh has been acquired by the ASI. 

Asserting that monuments weren’t responsible for municipal taxes, Patel stated that the notices appeared to have been despatched by mistake and the ASI had reverted to Nagar Nigam Agra on the identical.

“Property tax is not applicable on monuments. We are also not liable to pay taxes for water as there is no commercial use of it. Water is used to maintain greenery within the premises. Notices related to water and property tax for the Taj Mahal have been received for the first time. It could have been sent by mistake,” stated Patel.

Significantly, over a century in the past, the Taj Mahal was declared a protected monument of nationwide significance in 1920. Since then, that is the primary time that such notices pertaining to water tax and property tax have been issued in opposition to it.

The notices, acquired by ASI officers not too long ago, had been issued by the tax fixation officer of Agra Municipal Corporation on November 25. 

The Taj Mahal is a world heritage web site situated on the south financial institution of river Yamuna in Agra. Built between 1631 and 1648 by order of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in reminiscence of his spouse Mumtaz Mahal, the 307-year-old monument, figuring among the many seven wonders of the world, attracts tens of millions of vacationers from each nook and nook of the globe yearly.

The discover for the monetary 12 months 2021-22 and 2022-23 of Municipal Corporation reportedly has the point out of curiosity of Rs 47943 incurred over the property tax of Rs 88784 in opposition to the Taj Mahal until March 31, 2022.

The property tax of 2022-23 to the tune of Rs 11098 has additionally been talked about within the discover. It has the breakup of whole property tax of Rs 147826 pending in opposition to the Taj.

Patel stated that property tax or home tax was not relevant to monuments and the identical legislation was relevant in UP as properly. The Agra fort, a UNESCO world heritage web site constructed by the Mughal emperor Akbar, was the principle residence of the emperors of the Mughal dynasty till 1638 when the capital was sifted to Delhi.

This historic monument has additionally acquired a tax demand value Rs 5 crore, stated the ASI official.

Meanwhile, civic authorities claimed that the discover was served for property and water tax pending in opposition to the ticket window and residential wing on the jap gate of the Taj Mahal and never the monument itself, Municipal commissioner Nikhil T Funde expressed ignorance.

He claimed that he was not conscious of any such tax-related notices issued in opposition to Taj Mahal and any motion can be initiated in that route on the idea of the response acquired from ASI. Assistant municipal commissioner and in-charge of the Tajganj zone, Sarita Singh, stated that the matter associated to notices issued for water and property tax on the Taj Mahal was being investigated.

A non-public firm has been tasked to understand tax on the idea of a Geographic Information Survey (GIS), he added.