Bhiwandi: Reacting sharply to Bhiwandi Nizampur City Municipal Corporation’s (BNCMC) decision to hike water and property taxes, former corporator Manoj Katekar has demanded immediate withdrawal of the increased rates.

As per the revised structure for FY 2025–26, BNCMC has imposed a 15 per cent rise in water and sewage benefit tax for residential properties and a 23 per cent hike for commercial units.

Terming the hike “excessive and inequitable,” Katekar said, “This is a blow to honest citizens who have consistently fulfilled their civic obligations,” he wrote.

The former corporator also questioned the civic body’s revenue strategy, suggesting that a GIS-based property survey could bring untaxed properties into the net, generating an additional Rs 7.5–8 crore annually without raising taxes on existing payers.

Asserting that there was growing discontent in Bhiwandi’s commercial sector, Katekar said, “BNCMC is risking long-term revenue loss by overburdening existing taxpayers while failing to expand its tax base responsibly.”

Katekar has submitted a formal letter to municipal commissioner Anmol Sagar. The BNCMC is yet to issue an official response.