October 23, 2025: Nearly three weeks after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) announced its first property tax auction in over four decades, the civic body has yet to receive a single bid. The auction, valued at Rs 8.55 crore, was expected to attract strong participation given the prime locations of the listed properties, but despite several inquiries, no formal registrations have been made.
The auction, announced on October 1 under Section 200(2) of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, 1888, empowers the civic body to sell properties owned by tax defaulters to recover unpaid dues. Initially, five properties were identified for sale. However, a property in Vile Parle, which owed Rs 19.36 crore in taxes and penalties, cleared its dues following the announcement.
The remaining four properties — including land parcels, commercial spaces, and a residential structure — are still available for bidding. These are located at Shanti Sadan CHS in Chunabhatti (2,570.33 sq. m), the Housing Bombay Commissioner’s property in Subhash Nagar, Chembur (3,073.14 sq. m), a mixed-use unit on Abdul Rehman Street (1,648.07 sq. m), and Rajani House in Borivali (624 sq. m).
An external agency was appointed to manage the online auction, with bidder registration opening on October 10. Officials acknowledged that while interest had been shown, the lack of participation was unexpected given the properties’ prime locations. The BMC remains hopeful that registrations may pick up before the auction scheduled for October 29 at noon.
The civic administration emphasized that this initiative is part of a larger effort to recover the city’s mounting property tax arrears, which have reached Rs 22,000 crore, including penalties accumulated over the past 15 years. Officials believe the auction will help instill fiscal discipline and encourage other defaulters to clear their dues voluntarily.
Source: Mumbai Live
