Greater Chennai Corporation to use data analytics and GIS for property tax augmentation

Greater Chennai Corporation and civic agencies use data analytics and GIS to increase revenue through property tax and other sources.

The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) and other civic agencies will start using data analytics and geographic information system (GIS) for revenue augmentation, as part of the Tamil Nadu government’s initiative pertaining to increasing revenue through property tax, professional tax, property registration, Goods and Services Tax, and commercial connections in the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco).

The GCC has already collected a lot of data through drone surveys and GIS for property tax augmentation. The data collected in the drone survey pointed to 3.1 lakh buildings that were reportedly bigger in size than what was shown in the records. Even after the reassessment of the buildings was taken up in several wards, councillors demanded the civic body to resolve issues in the assessment of property tax, reassessment, and collection.

Chidambara Perumal Jayyavarapu of Padi Kuppam Road said there was disparity among residents paying property tax in the same apartment complex. “Some residents in housing board apartment complexes are paying less than ₹100 as property tax while others with the same area are paying more than ₹1,000 as tax. We expect data analytics to make the tax calculation and collection more accurate,” he said.

G.V. Nagavalli, councillor of ward 88, said residents had flagged the issue of disparity of property tax between developed parts of Anna Nagar and Ambattur. “In the past few years, councillors have been discussing in the Council about the high property tax rates in Ambattur, which is an added area, while property tax assessees in Anna Nagar pay less tax,” she said.

S. Kumararaja, a resident of Velachery, said the GCC had already sent teams a few years ago to visit houses and take measurements for reassessment. “Some houses were reportedly bigger in area as per the drone survey. Some residents objected. Others paid the revised tax. These initiatives should be implemented without scaring residents,” he demanded.

Experts from various agencies are expected to discuss the issues in revenue augmentation this week.