Gurgaon: Just two weeks after the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG) executed an unprecedented reshuffle of 134 clerks across its departments, the property tax branch is facing significant challenges. It has now emerged that the department is grappling with a massive backlog of property-related objections.
Alarming Backlog of Objections
Official data accessed by TOI reveals that 3,907 property ID-related objections are currently pending with MCG. This situation arises shortly after the transfer of clerks, most of whom were from the property tax branch, amid allegations of corruption and nexus with brokers.
The data shows that 884 applications, representing 22.6% of the total, are stuck at the citizen level. However, a staggering 3,023 files, or 77.4%, are pending within the MCG level. This indicates that nearly four out of every five delayed cases are awaiting action from MCG officials themselves.
Delay in New Property IDs
Even more concerning is the delay in creating new property IDs, which are essential for property tax assessment, ownership transfer, and other civic documentation. As many as 486 applications for new property IDs remain pending, leaving hundreds of property owners unable to complete critical transactions.
TOI reported on May 20 that MCG had reshuffled clerks across departments, including large-scale transfers within the property tax branch. MCG officials now attribute the delays to these transfers, as clerks from various other departments—such as sanitation, engineering, and establishment—were moved to the tax department and are taking time to clear files.
Reasons for Pendency
MCG Additional Commissioner Yash Jaluka explained, "There are mainly two reasons for pendency: one is the reshuffle of the clerks, and another is that the staffers were assigned Census duties until May 30. However, I personally held a training session for the clerks on Tuesday, and now that the staff is back from Census duty, we will follow up daily on these pending cases and will resolve them soon."
Background of the Reshuffle
The reshuffle followed a flood of complaints from residents, who alleged that applications were deliberately stalled, arbitrarily cancelled, and routed through middlemen demanding bribes for clearance. During a surprise inspection ordered by the MCG commissioner, officials allegedly uncovered digital records suggesting collusion between some staff members and brokers operating outside municipal offices.
The civic body claimed that the mass transfers would dismantle entrenched networks that had flourished within the department for nearly a decade and usher in a new era of transparency. MCG records indicate that hundreds of applications are received daily across various zones for ownership transfers, tax corrections, mobile number updates, and assessment revisions.
