The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : File IT returns this year without much stress

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Tuesday, Jul 14, 2009
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

File IT returns this year without much stress

Krishnaprasad

Special counters have been arranged at Palace Grounds

— Photo: Bhagya Prakash K.

Red carpet: Arrangements being made for setting up counters for filing of income tax returns at Palace Grounds in Bangalore on Monday.

Bangalore: Paying tax can be a stressful affair but here is some comfort: this year, you can file your annual income tax returns at special counters and you will be provided with enough parking space, food courts, toilet facilities and drinking water.

The Income Tax Department has chosen the Bangalore Palace Grounds — which has hosted many weddings, lifestyle shows, consumer exhibitions, fashion shows and rock concerts — to establish special counters to file IT returns. These counters will remain open between 9.30 a.m. and 5 p.m. on all days from July 16 to 31.

This is the first time the Department is establishing such counters away from its office premises as the existing office space has serious limitations in terms of parking, toilets, etc., to cater to the needs of the thousands who arrive to submit their IT statements.

The special counters at Gayatri Vihar in the Palace Grounds will have several people-friendly features: a large screen displaying tips on filling up the forms, photocopying facilities at reasonable rates, a special counter to apply for Permanent Account Number (PAN) through National Securities Depositories Limited besides 90 counters to receive IT returns.

Special counters for tax return payers (TRPs) are also being provided to allow the tax payers to get their returns filled in a proper way using the paid service of TRPs.

The Department is spending approximately Rs. 20 lakh to operate special counters with all these facilities.

“It is difficult for us to provide necessary facilities, particularly parking, toilets and drinking water — to lakhs of visitors every year at our office premises on Bellary Road and Queen’s Road. We inspected many places and found Palace Grounds suitable,” said a senior officer of the IT Department.

Moreover, unlike other Palace Grounds events where one pays a heavy parking fee, here you need to pay Rs. 3 or Rs. 5, depending on the vehicle. “We have to collect fee as we have hired services of private security guards to maintain order in the parking area,” the officer added. And if the exercise has made you hungry, you can briefly stop over at the special food court.

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