Residents in all fifteen zones in the city can now pay property taxes online. With the launch of the facility in Sholinganallur, Perungudi and Valasaravakkam zones by the Chennai Corporation, nearly 10.71 lakh assessees, including thousands of non-resident Indians who own properties in the city, will be able to use the facility for payment of property tax online
The online mode of payment is currently used by around 10 per cent of the assessees. The new facility is also likely to prove useful to many who live in other parts of the country but are investing in lands in the southern zones. The property tax payment can be made online using zone number, division number, bill number and sub number from any part of the world. The receipt can also be printed by the assessees for use in filing of income tax returns.
The number of assessees in the city increased from 6.62 lakh to 10.71 lakh after the expansion of the city limits.
Simultaneously, the number of assessees who fail to pay tax on time has also increased and the Corporation has been struggling to combat the problem of inadequate tax collection.
As part of its efforts to increase tax collection, the civic body has taken various measures including setting up of 2,000 bank counters in the city for walk-in payment of property tax.
The total property tax demand in the 426 sq km of the city for this year amounts to Rs.484 crore.
Only Rs.210 crore has been collected so far. The deadline for collection of the amount is March 31.