Greater Bengaluru Authority to auction 7,000 properties over Rs 437 cr tax default

• GBA to auction 7,000+ properties on Feb 17 for Rs 437 crore in unpaid taxes.
• Pay dues online to avoid auction; list on BBMPTax.karnataka.gov.in
• East division leads in arrears; penalties and fees increase total owed.

Did our AI summary help?

In a drastic move to recover massive outstanding dues, the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) will put more than 7,000 defaulting properties under the hammer later this month. The action targets defaulters collectively owing over Rs 437 crore in unpaid property taxes and associated charges.

The auctions are scheduled for February 17 across the respective zonal joint commissioner offices, GBA Chief Commissioner Mahadeshwara Rao announced on Monday. This follows a series of escalated enforcement measures that have failed to yield payments.

“We had sent demand notices, but they did not pay. Attachment orders were issued. Still they didn’t pay,” GBA announced on X. “As a last resort, these properties are scheduled for auction sale on 17.2.26 in respective Zonal Joint Commissioner Offices.”

The civic body has made the list of 7,020 defaulting properties publicly available online, providing a final window for owners to clear their dues and avert the sale. The list can be accessed at https://BBMPTax.karnataka.gov.in, where payments can be made digitally.

A zone-wise breakdown of the arrears reveals the scale of the problem. The East division tops the list with Rs 48.98 crore pending from 1,615 properties, followed by the West (Rs 35.83 crore from 1,504 properties), Central (Rs 34.26 crore from 1,398 properties), North (Rs 32.77 crore from 1,156 properties), and South (Rs 30.04 crore from 1,347 properties).

The total outstanding amount comprises not only base property taxes but also significant accumulated penalties. According to the data, the collective cess from five city corporations amounts to Rs 46.32 crore, with interest at Rs 74.91 crore and penalties at Rs 131.80 crore. Additionally, Solid Waste Cess and user fee arrears contribute a substantial Rs 260 crore to the staggering total.

This aggressive recovery push comes against the backdrop of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) reporting a 25 per cent increase in property tax collection for the 2024-25 fiscal year, garnering Rs 4,930 crore. The civic body had subsequently expressed confidence in achieving a Rs 6,000 crore target for the current 2025-26 financial year.

The planned mass auction represents one of the most significant enforcement actions ever undertaken by the city’s administrative body to tackle persistent revenue leakage.