Hyderabad: Private properties in the city including businesses like Prasads IMAX, Jalavihar etc owe the Telangana government Rs 272 crore in taxes. The money is owed to the Telangana Tourism Development Corporation.
Properties that have not paid tax are popular buildings in Hyderabad with some of them even being landmarks. Prasads IMAX, Jala Vihar, Snow World, Hotel Daspalla, Trident Hotel, Expotel, Urban Entertainment Centre, Three Star Hotel and Spa and the Shamirpet Golf Course all together owe the tourism development company an amount of Rs 271.74 crores, revealed a Right to Information Request filed by the Forum for Good Governance.
While the Jala Vihar Stone Garden near Hussain Sagar owes Rs 6.51 crores, accrued since 2000, the Trident Hotel near Shilparamam owes the Telangana government the whopping Rs 87.86 crores – owed since 2007.
These buildings, which failed to tax the Telangana government, actually leased land allocated to them from developers for a nominal rent. Developers of private properties therefore owe the tourism development company an annual rent as well as other charges.
The Forum for Good Governance wrote to Telangana Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar on Saturday saying that effective measures must be taken to collect all pending dues from private companies.
“We have reason to believe that defaulters with political influence are forcing the Tourism Development Corporation to limit its activity to issue notices and to stand still,” the forum said in its letter to the Telangana government regarding the levy.
