The introduction of mobile tax collection units by Greater Chennai Corporation has received a ‘good’ response from the tax payers. In Alandur zone, the mobile vans visited residential localities where the tax revenue is low. On Wednesday, the vans collected property tax and professional tax dues in wards 156 (Mugalivakkam), 157 (Manapakkam), 158 (Nandambakkam), 160 (Alandur), 161 (Adambakkam), 164 (Pazhavanthangal) and 165 (Nanganallur-Adambakkam). On Thursday, mobile vehicles covered other places of the zone, where the tax payers have paid their dues by paying cash with currency notes of Rs. 1,000 and Rs. 500 denominations. Several of them also deposited their taxes by cheques, said a revenue official from Greater Chennai Corporation. The revenue officials said cash collections on two days alone fetched Rs. 13.5 lakh and the cheques deposited by the tax payers were being accounted for.
The property and professional tax collection doubled on Monday, with the civic body recording payments to the tune of Rs. 15.18 crore. With Rs. 7.5 crore collected on Sunday, the Corporation has announced that it has extended the deadline to November 24. Usually, such huge collection happens only during the year end. The Corporation opened 446 special counters, which have been set up across the 15 zones in the city, for collecting property and professional tax.
The counters in the corporation offices will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and will continue to accept the old notes.
The mobile collection van concept was in force when many of the extended areas were in the status of village panchayats before being merged with GCC in 2011.
A resident of Mugalivakkam, V. Varadarajan, said though the Chennai Corporation introduced online tax payment system and enabling collections through E-Seva centres, still many residents are hesitant to use those facilities. It is a blessing in disguise for residents who need not go to banks to exchange their demonetised notes, and they can reduce their tax burden at once.
