The board of administrators (BoA) of Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) has asked representatives of the Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Association of India (Credai), an apex body of realtors, to expedite the process of providing occupancy certificates to those who have bought flats or properties.

Quick issuing of the occupancy certificate, which confirms that the buyer is in possession of the property, can help the civic body make its municipal tax assessment and start collecting tax from the property owners faster.

“I have requested representatives of Credai to provide occupancy certificates on time. Owing to delay, the mutation of buildings, flats and shops can’t be carried out and new holding numbers can’t be issued in the names of the owners. So there is delay in assessing tax as well in collecting it,” said Gautam Deb, chairman of the BoA of the SMC.

Sources in the civic body said there are around 200 such buildings in the city where construction has ended but whose developers are yet to submit the completion report to the civic body.

“We have not increased property taxes or mutation fees. Even then, we have noticed that huge amounts of property taxes are outstanding. This is an important source of revenue for the civic body and there is no reason why tax can’t be collected from these buildings, which include both residential and commercial properties,” Deb added.