The integrated voice response system (IVRS) set up by Chennai Corporation for property tax payers lacks the desired patronage even six months after its launch.
Mayor M. Subramanian said that the civic body would make efforts to make the benefits of the e-governance initiative reach more residents. The Corporation is likely to create more awareness about the facility among the assessees by sending them text messages.
According to officials of the Corporation, the number of people using the IVRS to remit property tax is less compared to the total number of calls to the system. Of the total 94,654 calls made to the 1913 helpline after the launch of IVRS mode of payment of property tax in March this year, only 43 calls have been used to remit the tax. Most of the calls pertain to grievances about civic amenities.
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As per statistics, 13,830 calls were received by the helpline in March, of which 23 persons were successful in paying the property tax using the IVRS. In April, 13,017 calls were received, including two for making property tax payments.
In May, 15,091 calls were received and one of the callers remitted the tax using the facility.
The IVRS was not used for making property tax payment in June whereas the number of total calls was 14,074. Five payments were made using the facility in July.
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A total of 22,299 calls were received in the month.
The officials said that the property tax assessees can dial ‘1913' and using credit cards, pay their property tax through IVRS.
The zone number, ward number, bill number and sub number (apartments in a complex and divided properties have sub numbers) would have to be fed into the system. Following this, the system would give details of the total amount to be paid.
After furnishing the credit card number, the system would validate the card and collect the amount.
Consumers would also get a voice response that the amount has been paid.