Public backlash forces Civic Body to withdraw notice in three days

Mysore/Mysuru: Just three days after introducing a motor vehicle cess on two-wheelers, three-wheelers and four-wheelers, the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) has decided to withdraw the proposal following strong public backlash.

In a press release, MCC Commissioner Shaikh Tanveer Asif stated that the MCC Administrator had decided to withdraw the proposal in view of objections received from the general public.

It may be recalled that the MCC had proposed to levy a motor vehicle cess linked to the Property Identification (PID) number. Under the proposal, property owners were to pay Rs. 100 for two-wheelers, Rs. 200 for three-wheelers and Rs. 500 for four-wheelers.

Under the now-scrapped rule, residents were required to declare the number of vehicles they owned during the annual Property Tax payment, based on which the cess would be calculated. The proposal had triggered widespread resentment among citizens, many of whom questioned why they should pay a tax for vehicles parked within their own premises.

Several organisations and members of the public had also objected to the move, stating that the new cess would add to the already rising expenses of households. Some questioned the need for such a levy when vehicle owners had already paid road tax at the time of purchasing their vehicles.

In a bid to augment revenue, the MCC had recently introduced several new levies, including the vehicle cess, along with a 25 percent hike in water charges and revised Property Tax. The Civic Body has also increased UGD cess, besides deciding to collect Solid Waste Management (SWM) charges from commercial establishments and other bulk waste generators.

Citizens alleged that the decision had been taken without adequate public consultation, leaving many residents frustrated and questioning the role of local Legislators and Ministers. With rising costs already burdening households, several residents argued that the Government should intervene to prevent further financial strain.