BBMP proposes to levy and collect transport cess and road infrastructure cess to augment revenue.

Citizens, who are already staring at a hike in property tax from the next financial year, may have to shell out more for two additional cesses.

The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) proposes to levy and collect transport cess and road infrastructure cess to augment revenue. The proposal is before the Finance Department, said a highly placed source.

The source said that the cesses have been proposed under provisions of the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act, 1976, with the aim of improving the condition of roads.

“The cabinet will have to take a final call on the issue,” another official added.

However, citizens have pointed out that despite the civic body collecting solid waste management cess, the city is crippled with a garbage crisis.

Mahalakshmi Parthasarathy, secretary of the Citizens’ Action Forum, said that just around 45 per cent of the properties are covered under the tax net. “The levy of additional cess will be a double jeopardy for honest tax payers. Numerous cesses are being collected but there is no clarity on what the money is being utilised for,” she said and asked why the State is not devolving funds to the civic body as per the 74{+t}{+h}Amendment.

Utkarsh Singh from #SaveWhitefield said that Karnataka is already one of the highest taxed States in the country. “Despite this, the city has the worst infrastructure. We need to hold the government and BBMP accountable for underperformance,” he said.

Proposed cess: Transport Cess and Road Infrastructure Cess

Cess already linked with property tax: Beggary Cess, Library Cess, Education Cess, Solid Waste Management Cess

Proposed hike in property tax: 20 per cent for residential properties; 25 per cent for commercial properties