Warangal: Congress protests hike in property tax

Kazipet (Warangal-U): The Congress workers staged a demonstration in front of the Kazipet Circle Office of the Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation (GWMC) here on Friday, in protest against the GWMC Council's decision to hike the property tax. Holding placards, the protestors led by District Congress Committee (DCC) president N Rajender Reddy, TPCC Secretary EV Srinivas and city Congress committee president Katla Srinivas Rao raised slogans against the State government.

Speaking to the newsmen, Rajender Reddy criticised the GWMC authorities, accusing them of being insensitive towards the problems faced by the denizens. He said that the civic body totally failed to improve basic amenities including roads and drainage system in the city.

"The GWMC has no moral right to increase the taxes as it had done anything for the citizens. None of the road in the city is in good condition. There are several colonies that have no proper infrastructure. Against this backdrop, the hike in property tax is uncalled-for as the city had hardly witnessed any development in the last few years," Reddy said. He criticised the TRS Corporators for adopting a resolution to hike the property tax without taking note of people's voice.

"It's difficult to understand why Warangal city is languishing without any trace of development, this despite funds from the Central Government are flowing in abundantly," he said, referring to the funds under Smart Cities Mission, Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana, and Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation.