Meerut, Jan 10 (IANS): In a bizarre incident, officials of the Meerut Municipal Corporation (MMC) reached the office of the regional manager of Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) on January 9 and sealed the building with around 40 employees inside the premises.

The building was sealed for "non-payment of Rs 29 crore property tax".

Additional Municipal Commissioner Mamta Malviya said, "District Magistrate of Meerut, Deepak Meena, asked the civic body to remove the seal and said he would pursue the matter. UPSRTC has an outstanding dues of Rs 29 crore for several years now. The annual rental value comprises house tax (12.5 per cent), water (8 per cent) and sewage (2.5 per cent)."

According to the UPSRTC employees, they were locked inside for nearly an hour.

"Municipal officials arrived, and without notice, locked the office with several employees, including assistant regional manager, inside. We had filed an appeal against the civic body's property tax assessment imposed on the building earlier. That matter is under process, but the MMC officials sealed the office on Tuesday," said the employees.

Refuting the UPSRTC employees' claims, Malviya said, "Notices and warnings were sent to them earlier. Apart from the bus depot office complex, MMC also sealed the state excise office for an outstanding amount of Rs 80 lakh."

The excise office was sealed for tax default for the second time.