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Nashik's civic administration recently lifted property tax from mobile towers with effect from the start of this year, while insisting telecom firms settle dues through December of last year. The move aligns with the Telecommunication Act, 2023, affirmed by state urban planning directives. The city hosts around 596 mobile towers, previously contributing an estimated INR 7 crore annually, yet telcos owe a staggering INR 52.69 crore in back taxes. Rather than dwelling on lost revenue, the municipal body is now leasing its own land to operators as a new income stream, carefully turning compliance into opportunity.
The Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) has exempted telecom operators from property tax on mobile towers, effective January of this year, though outstanding dues through December remain collectible. This change was driven by updated state directives responding to the Telecommunication Act, 2023, which clarified that telecom installations do not qualify as taxable property. Advertisement
NMC's taxation team notes there are roughly 596 towers in the city, previously generating about INR 7 crore each year in tax. Yet, arrears total nearly INR 52.69 crore from operators. Deputy Commissioner (Taxation) Ajit Nikat confirmed that officials across all six municipal divisions have been instructed to pursue these outstanding amounts.
In a shift from taxing towers, NMC is opting to monetize its own real estate. Rather than collecting tax, the municipality plans to lease its property for telecom infrastructure, positioning this as a sustainable revenue source moving forward. Previously, the corporation had invited telecom firms to deploy towers on ten identified city-owned sites across Nashik East, West, Panchavati, Nashik Road, and Satpur with a lease model based on a percentage rent widely seen as revenue-positive.
This approach shows how a regulatory update can become a strategic opportunity. By realigning fiscal policy with legal clarity, NMC has moved from taxing telecom assets to repurposing its own property for growth. It reflects a municipality adapting creatively to legal shifts and exploring fresh ways to fund civic services even as it ensures due tax recovery is not neglected.
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