The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) enjoyed an impressive increase in octroi collections in the month of November year-on-year, thanks to the Diwali season and beefed up octroi vigilance.

Figures released by the BMC showed that the civic body collected Rs 448 crore in octroi. The figure represents an increase of Rs 144 crore from Rs 304 crore in the Diwali season of previous year.

During Diwali season every year, items such as gift items, electronic goods, clots and dry fruits are brought into the city in large numbers. Before entering the city, all these items have to pay entry taxes or octroi.

As many traders make attempts to evade paying octroi, the corporation has to beef up vigilance. This year, the civic body had beefed up its vigilance at the five octroi nakas, viz. LBS Marg, Dahisar, Eastern Express Highway, Vashi and Mulund-Airoli.

Raju Pednekar, chairman of law committee at BMC, said, "We had beefed up octroi vigilance at its five checkposts as well as at other points in the city. The BMC employees kept a close watch over octroi imports during Diwali."

During the Diwali season, the import of items, such as dry fruits, electronic goods, watches, crockery and firecrackers, in crease by around 25 per cent. The BMC charges an octroi of 7-9 per cent on these items.

Octroi is one of the main sources of revenue for the BMC. For this year, the civic body has set up a target to collect Rs 7200 crore in octroi.