CHENNAI: The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has collected Rs 215,000 crore as rent from 165 shops in the shopping malls of Kodambakkam zone (Zone 10).

Officials said shopkeepers must ensure that they pay the amount due within two months.

“As many as 350 shops owned by Chennai Corporation were rented out for commercial purposes in Kodambakkam zone, particularly Pondy Bazaar and Ranganathan Street. Since they have not paid the rent, we issued notices to the shopkeepers last week. Nearly 150 shops have paid their rent recently. The shops of the defaulters were sealed on Friday,” said P Murugesan, Zonal Officer, Kodambakkam Zone (Zone 10).

After the intervention of the local MP, the shopkeepers assured to pay back the rent in two instalments. Considering their livelihood, the authorities opened the shops. “On Saturday, the shopkeepers of 165 outlets paid their first instalments of the rent due. The shopkeepers paid a total of Rs 21.5 million as rent. They have promised to pay within two months, otherwise the shops will be closed again,” the official added.

Similarly, several shops in the area are listed among the top 100 who have not paid property tax. The zonal officer explained that steps have been taken to collect the property tax from the concerned person in the commercial centre.

The zonal level officials are directed to intensify tax and rent collection from individuals across the city. The local body is carrying out various development works in the capital with the help of the revenue from the municipal corporation.