Coimbatore Corporation to map buildings in 20 wards using drones to assess plan deviations

To identify deviations in property tax, the Coimbatore Corporation, one among the 20 corporations in Tamil Nadu, plans to map 20 of the 100 wards in the city — falling under the Central, North and West Zones — according to Commissioner M. Prathap.

Stepping up the property tax collection measures across the city, the Coimbatore Corporation plans to collect the geographic information system (GIS) data of 20 wards using drones, according to the Commissioner.

The mapping and field verification will be done by a State government-approved private third party along with bill collectors of the Corporation, he added.

Commissioner M. Prathap told reporters that during a 10-day GIS mapping exercise of the Cross Cut Road in Ward 68 of the Central Zone, roughly 70 of the 500 assessments were found to have 60% plan deviations.

This indicates that either the land use or the number of floors was not as listed under the property tax documentation of the buildings.

According to the Commissioner, field verification is going on to check the measurements, land use patterns, building type, usage, and temporary and permanent structures on the road.

“Four months ago, during a regular inspection, we collected ₹1.5 crore as property tax after we spotted a deviation in a prominent jewellery showroom on the road,” he said.

Following this, a work order to conduct GIS mapping in Central, West and North zones — three wards each in North and West, and the remaining in the Central Zone — will be issued on August 21 or 22, hinted an official in the Revenue Department of the Corporation. The work will be carried out in the 20 wards simultaneously and is expected to be completed in a month.