Property tax due: Star hotel gets ‘thandora’ warning

Chennai: Guests of a famous 5-star hotel in the city enjoyed a rare show of ‘thandora’ (tom-tom) on Tuesday, as Greater Chennai corporation officials used the instrument to coerce the hotel management pay property tax to the tune of Rs 24.88 crore.

The civic body officials led by assistant revenue officers Banuchandran, Joseph Thangaraj and Lakshmanakumar also erected a digital banner in front of the hotel on TTK Road. “The hotel management has been shunning the payment after civic body revised tax rates for the special buildings in 2009-2010. They approached the court and stalled actions,” said the officials. According to officials, the notices have been issued after clearing the legal hurdles. “To pressurize the hotel to pay the tax dues, we also beat the ‘thandora’,” the officials added.

However, civic officials removed the banner and stopped tom-toming after the hotel management requested two days to pay the dues. “They sought time saying their MD has been hospitalised,” the official said.