Taj Mahal gets property and water tax notices

21 Dec 2022 CW Team

In a first for the protected monument, the local council in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, has requested that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) pay 0.147million in house tax and 19.7million in water tax on the Taj Mahal.

The ASI has been given 15 days to pay the debts, failing which the property would be "attached," according to a story in the Deccan Herald.

The invoices are for the fiscal years 2021–2022 and 2022–2023, according to the notice from Agra Nagar Nigam (Agra Municipal Corporation).

Since monuments are exempt from housing and water taxes, ASI officials claimed the notice may have been sent inadvertently. According to ASI, the Taj Mahal was designated a protected monument in 1920, and no taxes were paid on it even when India was ruled by the British.

Raj Kumar Patel, the ASI's supervising archaeologist, said: "On monuments, property tax is not applicable. Since there is no commercial usage for water, we are also exempt from paying water taxes. The grounds' vegetation is kept alive by the usage of water. The first water and property tax notices for the Taj Mahal have been received. It might have been transmitted inadvertently.

Infrastructure Transport

08 Oct 2025

Ahmedabad Plans Elevated Corridor To Ease Airport Congestion

Authorities in Ahmedabad are evaluating plans to ease traffic congestion at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) Airport, where the single entry–exit route has long been a bottleneck for commuters. At a recent high-level meeting, officials from the Airport Authority, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), and other agencies discussed two proposals — constructing new approach roads or developing an elevated corridor, similar to the one near Delhi Airport.The Airport Circle road, currently used for both arrivals and departures, experiences heavy congestion throughout the day. Un..

GMLR’s First Flyover To Open By May 2026, Says BMC

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has announced that the first flyover of the Goregaon–Mulund Link Road (GMLR) project will be ready for use by May 2026.The GMLR, one of Mumbai’s most ambitious infrastructure ventures, involves a 12.2-kilometre corridor comprising tunnels, flyovers, and interchanges, built at an estimated cost of Rs 140 billion. The project aims to provide a seamless connection between Mumbai’s western and eastern suburbs, drastically reducing travel time and congestion.The first phase features a 1.2-kilometre flyover, beginning near Dindoshi Court and extendi..

Assam Awaits Nod For Rs 60 Billion Brahmaputra Tunnel

Assam’s ambitious Rs 60 billion underwater tunnel project, India’s first to be built beneath a major river, is awaiting Union Cabinet approval, according to a report by The Times of India. The proposed tunnel will connect Numaligarh and Gohpur under the Brahmaputra River, significantly improving road connectivity and strengthening strategic infrastructure near Arunachal Pradesh, which borders China.Estimated to take five years to complete, the project marks a major milestone in India’s transport and defence infrastructure planning. “The Detailed Project Report (DPR) is ready and will s..