Urban News

The Financial Express  09.12.2010

The Punjab Infrastructure Development Board’s (PIDB) proposed Rs 400-crore project for the development of a 5-star hotel and international convention centre in Mohali has evoked an unprecedented response.

While Chandigarh is witnessing feverish activity as big hotel chains setting up hotels here includes JW Marriot, Hyatt, Sheraton, Sarovar’s Park Plaza and Bharat Group of Hotels. The project to be developed on design-build-operate-transfer (DBOT) basis and with private sector participation (PSP) is first of its kind in the region. Pre-bid meeting for the project was attended by major 5-star hotel chain owners, infrastructure development companies and real estate investors of the country.

Earlier, PIDB on behalf of GMADA (Greater Mohali Area Development Authority) had invited tenders for the highest concession fee payable annually by the bidders. The project and tender submission date is being scheduled by end of December 2010. IL&FS IDC is assisting PIDB in bid processing management. The project...

PUDA sources told FE that minimum development obligations of the project include a 5 star hotel with 200 rooms, an international convention and exhibition centre with 4,000 seating capacity, commercial area equivalent to 10% of the actual constructed area of the hotel and parking for minimum 800 equal car space (ECS). Service apartments can be constructed as an optional facility for the project.

The project, with an estimated cost ranging between Rs 300-400 crore, enjoys considerable monopolistic advantages. The proposed convention centre is first of its kind in the region. Being a part of the city centre, the project is likely to derive considerable benefit from economies of scale. The site is located right on the eight-lane road leading to the proposed...

Development of the proposed project would cater to the long lasting demand for a convention and exhibition facility in the region. The hotel site faces 40-acre green area in leisure valley and an amusement park.

A senior official of Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA) told FE that prominent among present in the meeting were Asian Hotels (West) (promoters of Hyatt Regency, Mumbai), ITC (promoters of Maurya Sheraton Group of Hotels), DS Construction, Soma Enterprise, Simplex Infrastructure, C&C Construction, Era Infrastructure, KCP Projects, Blue Coast Hotels and Resorts (promoters of Park Hyatt, Goa) and Xander Advisor India (an assets management company). Besides, Taj GVK has also shown keen interest in the project....

The Deccan Chronicle  09.12.2010

Dec. 8: Beware! If you are a trader in Madurai and not paying civic taxes properly, you will be shocked to see a stinking dustbin in front of your shop the next day. This arm-twisting tactics has, in fact, paid rich dividends to the Madurai corporation with traders coming forward to pay taxes instantly.

This was exactly the strategy resorted to by the urban local body to get one of the largest jewellery shops pay up property tax to the tune of Rs 13 lakh on Tuesday. “In the present case, we could not help but collect the due from the defaulter using dustbin diplomacy,” corporation commissioner S.Sebastine told mediapersons in a lighter vein during the press conference on Wednesday.

Disclosing that total dues including that of industrial tax, drinking water tax, underground drainage (UGD) maintenance tax accounted for Rs 80 crore, Mr Sebastine warned the defaulters including government sectors that stringent action such as disconnecting drinking water and UGD connections would be taken. A list of major defaulters has been taken and the drive has been initiated.

The topper among the defaulters, he said, is the Public Works Department (PWD) whose tax due runs up to Rs 1.98 crore, the commissioner said. Highways department and TNEB are among others.

“We have issued demand notices several times and have even gone to the extent of initiating distraint proceedings against the habitual defaulters. The public sector has the provision to make allocations towards payment of civic taxes in its budget and then get the amount sanctioned from the government,” the commissioner said.