The NMC standing committee had set target of Rs 575 crore from octroi
for this fiscal. The revenue up to March 1 was Rs 435.90 crore against
last year’s Rs 397.64 crore. With just one month left, the civic body
may net Rs 480 crore at the most. This indicates only a 10% natural
growth. Chairman of standing committee Dayashankar Tiwari said the major reason was failure to start two BOT projects including weigh bridge and scanning machines.

Assistant commissioner (octroi) Mahesh Dhamecha
told TOI some revenue was lost owing to outer ring road. “Around 4,000
vehicles used to pass through the city and pay transit charges everyday.
This number has come down by 1,400 causing as vehicles now use outer
ring road resulting in loss of Rs 1.32 lakh per day.”

Meanwhile, the Urban development department is likely to finalize the
registration software and rates of local body tax (LBT) in a meeting on
Tuesday. Now all eyes are on the meeting to be held at Mantralaya.
Sources told TOI UDD may announce start of registration of traders
immediately as LBT is to come into effect from April 1. “Government is
likely to fix similar LBT rates for all municipal corporations,” they
said.