The Hindu          18.11.2011

Building tax to be based on zones

City divided into three zones

The Kochi Corporation will collect building tax based on zoning of the city area. The authorities have also classified the city area into three zones for fixing the tax.

Draft notified

A draft document classifying the city into primary, secondary and tertiary zones based on development has been notified.

The primary zone covers those places where government and quasi-government offices, trade and commercial centres, educational institutions, markets, bus stands and hospitals are located. The corporation divisions one to 11 and 29 to 74 are included in the zone.

The secondary zone covers the areas adjoining the primary zone and those areas which possess scope for development.

The areas which lack infrastructure facilities and are scarcely populated are included in the third category. The corporation divisions 15, 18, 23, 24, 26 and 27 are included in the category.

Residential buildings will be charged at the rate of Rs.20 per sq. metre whereas hotels, shops and godowns of area up to 100 sq. metres will have to pay tax at the rate of Rs.90 per sq. metre. Individual houses, apartments and flats have been included in residential buildings. The buildings owned by ex-Servicemen and their dependants have been exempted from the tax net. The tax will also be fixed based on the materials used for construction.

The authorities have decided to collect the tax with effect from April 1, 2011.