Once again, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation is considering levying a tax on slum structures with the aim to add some Rs 500 crore to its kitty. The cash-strapped civic body will impose the tax based on the area of a property and the number of floors.

Last time the BMC decided to collect tax from slum dwellers was in 2016-2017. In 2016, the corporation decided to collect from Rs 2,400 to Rs 18,000 as tax, annually, based on the area and type of huts. The following year, the then BMC chief Ajoy Mehta proposed in the Budget to levy tax on slum properties. However, the civic body did not go through with either of its decisions. Until 2006-07, the BMC took a service charge of Rs 100 from residential and Rs 250 from commercial structures in slum areas.