Mumbai: BMC has issued a demand notice to the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, asking it to pay nearly ₹27 crore towards road and footpath occupation charges for security planters, barricades and parking spaces around the iconic Colaba property, after withdrawing concessions that had earlier been granted.According to the notice issued by the assistant commissioner of A ward, the civic body has directed the hotel to pay ₹4.97 crore towards road occupancy charges and ₹22.15 crore towards footpath occupancy charges, taking the total demand to ₹27.12 crore. The amount includes interest and charges up to March 2026.The dispute pertains to the occupation of 869.59 sq m of road space and 1,136.3 sq m of footpath around the hotel for security installations and parking, put in place after the 26/11 terror attacks.Initially, the Taj had sought a 50% concession on road occupancy charges and a complete waiver of footpath occupancy charges, arguing that the occupied footpath was not being used for commercial purposes. The then BMC Standing Committee approved the proposal in January 2021, but the matter remained pending before the general body.However, after the civic body recovered pending dues from the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), the A ward office suo motu reviewed the concessions extended to similar establishments.On February 21, 2025, the municipal commissioner approved the cancellation of the earlier concessions granted to the Taj, following which revised demand notices were issued to the Taj and the Trident Hotel.The BMC said the Trident Hotel paid all pending dues and removed security planters occupying the footpath, while the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) agreed to clear pending road occupancy charges amounting to ₹3.25 crore for the period between April 2012 and December 2024. However, officials said the Taj has not yet paid the revised charges despite repeated reminders.The latest reminder states that the hotel had earlier been asked to pay ₹4.03 crore towards road occupancy and ₹18.27 crore towards footpath occupancy up to July 2025. Since the dues remained unpaid, the BMC levied interest, increasing the liability to ₹4.73 crore for road occupation and ₹21.32 crore for footpath occupation up to September 2025. It has also sought an additional ₹1.08 crore for occupation charges from October 2025 to March 2026.A senior civic official said the BMC decided to adopt a uniform policy for commercial establishments occupying public roads and footpaths for security purposes.“BSE agreed to pay the prescribed charges and the Trident also complied, there was no justification for continuing the concession granted to the Taj. The civic body has therefore sought recovery of the revised dues,” the official said.When contacted Taj Mahal Palace did not comment on the issue.
