Pune: Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has initiated steps to recover Rs295 crore in pending property tax from Sinhgad Institutes by proposing to attach 33 properties owned by the educational group.The proposal has been forwarded to the additional municipal commissioner for approval. If cleared, the civic body is likely to proceed with legal formalities to recover the dues, including the possibility of auctioning the properties.The move comes after repeated notices and earlier enforcement action failed to recover the outstanding amount, even as the institute’s unpaid staff salaries have triggered protests. Ravi Pawar, deputy commissioner, property tax department, PMC, said, “The department has now proposed to formally register the outstanding tax liability against all these properties by entering a change in their ownership records.”The civic body’s action comes at a time when the financial difficulties of the Sinhgad Institutes have come under scrutiny after the Maharashtra govt’s decision to take over the management of 32 institutions. In the past, employees had staged demonstrations on the institute premises many a time, demanding payment of their long-pending salaries. The substantial property tax default has now added another dimension to the institution’s financial troubles.“We have prepared a proposal to attach 33 properties of the Sinhgad Institutes as the institution owes Rs 295 crore in property tax. Despite repeated reminders and notices to clear the dues, the institute has failed to make the payment so far. The proposal has been forwarded to the additional municipal commissioner. Further action will be initiated after approval is received,” added Pawar.The civic body had earlier taken enforcement action against the institute to recover the outstanding tax. Pawar added, “As part of this, the property tax department had sealed around 10 to 12 properties belonging to the educational group. However, the action failed to yield the desired results, with the institution continuing to default on its tax payments.”According to the property tax department’s records, the total outstanding amount against the 33 properties stood at Rs 295 crore as of Aug 2026. Pawar said, once the additional municipal commissioner approves the proposal, the PMC will initiate the process of recording the outstanding dues against the respective properties. Pawar added, “The municipal administration is also considering auctioning the properties as a means of recovering the dues, subject to completion of the necessary legal formalities. The proposed action is expected to put further pressure on the educational institution to clear its substantial tax liability.”Pawar added, “Every year, we have been sending notices to Sinhgad Institutes to recover the dues. We have already sealed eight shops owned by it and now we have moved this current proposal for 33 properties which are mainly administrative buildings, workshops and other such establishments. However, while we undertake this step, we will ensure that till the time the properties are in PMC’s ownership, the students will not face any inconvenience or loss of academic work. At the same time, once these properties are auctioned, the owner shall take decision on the academic liabilities that go with these properties.”
