Kanchipuram Municipal Corporation has taken decisive action to recover outstanding property taxes by issuing notices to 1,667 property owners who had been paying residential property taxes despite operating commercial establishments. Through an extensive review, the municipal authorities identified ₹1.23 crore in unpaid property taxes. The corporation’s efforts include using electricity connection data provided by the Electricity Board to pinpoint these discrepancies.
The Municipal Commissioner, Mr. Naveendran, mentioned that the corporation expects to generate an additional ₹5.34 crore in revenue by collecting the due taxes. The municipal taxes in Kanchipuram include seven categories, such as property tax, streetlight tax, water tax, and sewage tax, contributing to an annual revenue of more than ₹30 crore. However, due to delays in tax payments and discrepancies in the reported property sizes, the municipal corporation has been facing challenges in meeting its expected revenue targets.
In addition to the residential-commercial property mix-ups, some property owners had underreported their property sizes, leading to lower tax payments. The municipal corporation has now ordered those property owners to pay the appropriate tax based on accurate property measurements. As a result, notices have been issued to 2,379 buildings, with an additional ₹84 lakh expected in revenue.
Furthermore, due to unapproved signage placed on 49 buildings, the municipal corporation has issued notices for these unauthorized billboards and is expecting to generate ₹10 lakh in revenue after proper permits are obtained. The municipal authorities are working tirelessly to ensure that all commercial property owners adhere to the tax regulations and contribute their fair share to the city's development.
These measures, according to the Municipal Commissioner, are crucial in maintaining transparency and generating the necessary revenue for urban development projects in Kanchipuram.
