Taj Hotel Issued Rs 22 Crore Notice For 26/11 Security Barricades In Mumbai
Taj Hotel faces notice over security barricades installed after 26/11.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has issued a demand notice to the iconic Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Colaba, asking the management to pay Rs 22.03 crore as occupation charges for the use of public roads and footpaths around the property. The civic body’s action relates to security structures installed around the hotel following the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.
The charges are linked to heavy security barricades, bollards, and planters placed around the hotel’s perimeter in June 2009 as part of enhanced security arrangements. According to civic records, these structures occupy approximately 800 square metres of public road space and more than 1,100 square metres of public footpath area.
The BMC had earlier provided concessions on these charges, with the standing committee approving a 50 per cent reduction in road occupation fees and a complete waiver of footpath charges in December 2020. The relief was granted considering the security requirements of the site, which remains one of Mumbai’s most prominent landmarks and a sensitive location due to its history.
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However, the BMC Administrator withdrew these concessions in May 2025, leading to the fresh demand notice. Civic officials said the decision was taken as part of a broader policy approach after the Bombay Stock Exchange, which had faced a similar security-related levy, cleared its pending dues in full.
The latest notice has warned that a penalty interest of 15 per cent per month could be imposed if the outstanding amount is not paid immediately. The civic body has maintained that charges for occupying public spaces must be recovered according to existing rules, regardless of the reason behind the occupation.
Meanwhile, representatives of the Taj management are in discussions with senior BMC officials over the issue. The hotel authorities have argued that the barricades and security installations are necessary public safety measures rather than commercial encroachments, and therefore should not be treated as regular use of civic property subject to occupation fees.
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