Mysore/Mysuru: It has been two months since Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) Council resolved to hike the rent of its commercial properties given on rent, but still the decision remains on papers, with no serious efforts being made in this regard.

During the Council meeting held on June 9, the MCC Corporators to augment the revenue of the Corporation, had pressed for revising the rent that had remained flat without any changes for the last two decades. Following this a proposal was submitted to the Government seeking its consent to effect the revision, but the reply is awaited, according to Mayor Shivakumar. However, some of the Corporators feel that, this being the revenue related matter, further request should have been made to the Government.

The monthly rent of majority of 1,941 shops owned by MCC in 15 various areas, are still in the range of measly Rs. 30 to Rs. 40. Hence to increase the revenue, it was decided in the Council to hike the rent as per the square feet in compliance with the respective areas Sub-registrar (SR) value fixed according to the guidelines of immovable properties by the Department of Stamps and Registration. The new rent should be effective predating from the day it was fixed.

With the hike in rent, it was expected to generate a revenue of Rs. 5 crore against Rs. 1.6 crore being collected presently as per the old slabs of rent. It has been 18 years since the rent was revised in commercial properties owned by MCC like Devaraja Market, Vishveswaraya Bhavan, Dhanvantri Road, Lansdowne Building, Kalidasa Road, Old Bus Stand, Jayalakshmipuram, Metagalli, Bidaram Krishnappa Road, Kumbarakoppal, Mandi Market, Vani Vilas Market, stalls at Srap Yard, spaces let out for Petrol Bunk, Tennis Court, Milk Parlour and Fish Parlour to name a few. 

Priority will be given to the revision of rent, with the absence of original tenants and lessees and sub-lease holders in business. Hence, most of the Corporators are of the opinion that the tenants should be evicted and the shops be allotted afresh with revised rent. But the MCC authorities are of the opinion that when notices were issued to vacate the shopkeepers, they moved court. Hence it is better to hike the rent to improve the revenue coffers, besides making bids to vacate those who are not original tenants.

However, President of Devaraja Market Tenants Association Mahadev feigns ignorance over receiving any notice on revising the rent from MCC.

Even if the rent is revised according to SR Value, the rent of the road side shops of the market will be Rs. 30,000 to Rs. 40,000 and for the shops in the interior, the rent will be between Rs. 15,000 and                                      Rs. 20,000. Such an exorbitant rent cannot be afforded by anybody, he added.

It is said that, the rent is not revised from the past two decades, but it is the duty of MCC to do it on time, even if there is a hike, the Officers should look into the types of trade and loss and profits, without hiking the rent according to its whims and fancy. Still, we are not opposed to the hike in rent, but should be done in a fair manner, without burdening the tenants. There are total 822 shops given on monthly rent and 300 for daily rent at Devaraja Market, said Mahadev.