Varanasi Municipal Corporation Waives Surcharge for 1,41,103 Households, Offers Major Relief

Varanasi: In a significant decision, the Varanasi Municipal Corporation (VMC) has announced relief for residential property owners by waiving the surcharge on pending water bills. The move affects 1,41,103 households in the city.

House owners in the residential category are now exempt from paying the surcharge, but the original outstanding water bills must be cleared by March 31, 2026. Currently, the VMC has a total surcharge of ₹72.02 crore on these properties. The decision was approved during a board meeting held on Monday at Gandhi Bhavan, Town Hall.

Board Meeting Highlights

The meeting, chaired by Varanasi Mayor Ashok Kumar Tiwari, saw Councillor Suresh Kumar Chaurasia propose the waiver of surcharges under Section 91(2). The proposal received support from Rajesh Yadav Challu, who also called for extending the waiver to commercial properties. Councillor Chaurasia noted that the Water Department had previously offered 100% surcharge relief under an annual lump-sum settlement scheme, which had not been provided for the past two years. The board subsequently approved the proposal.

Other Decisions and Issues Raised

During the meeting, several administrative matters were discussed:

• Well Maintenance: Councillor Rajesh Yadav Challu raised concerns about cleaning designated wells. Mayor Tiwari requested a report from Chief Engineer R.K. Singh.
• Waste Management: Councillor Madan Mohan Dubey highlighted inefficiencies in the door-to-door waste collection by Varanasi West Solution.
• Tube Well Operations: Councillor Hanuman Prasad requested a ward-wise list of tube well operations from 2023 to date.
• Street Light Maintenance: The board noted that the agreement with EESL had ended, and now the VMC will manage the maintenance of 43,570 street lights in the city.
• Administrative Concerns: Issues regarding staff transfers and negligence in developmental works were also raised, with the mayor assuring attention to these matters.

The VMC’s decision provides much-needed relief to homeowners and reinforces the corporation’s commitment to addressing civic infrastructure and administrative concerns effectively.