Ludhiana: The Ludhiana Municipal Corporation (MC) has constituted a special team to scrutinize the property tax payments of a prominent hospital in the city. This move comes after a prolonged two-year dispute regarding discrepancies in tax assessments.
The team will examine records and conduct on-site inspections of the hospital’s properties in Tagore Nagar and Civil Lines. A detailed report is expected to be submitted within 10 days. Officials suspect that a miscalculation in the assessment may have led to significant unpaid dues and anticipate recovering a substantial amount from the hospital.
This scrutiny follows a 2022 MC general house meeting where AAP MLAs raised concerns about property tax filings by private hospitals and nursing homes. At the time, over 100 notices were issued to similar establishments, requiring them to provide tax details from 2013-14 to 2021-22. Despite the passage of two more years, many hospitals, including this one, remain under review.
The hospital management argued that they operate a medical college on the premises and have been paying taxes at educational institution rates. However, MC officials claim the premises host multiple commercial activities, including rented spaces for doctor cabins, labs, and other businesses, necessitating tax payments at commercial rates.
Further investigation will determine the exact dues, with officials committed to ensuring compliance and transparency in property tax contributions.
