In a move that will name and shame property tax evaders and defaulters, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) will soon put the Geographic Information System-linked property tax details in the public domain.
The BBMP has almost completed the Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping of its 16.5 lakh properties in its jurisdiction.
It has conducted a survey and recorded details such as owners’ name, address of each of the property, built-up area, type of use (residential or commercial), status (own use or tenanted or both) and tax payment status since 2008-09 (after the delimitation of wards). The details have been linked to GIS map, which will soon be uploaded on the website: bbmp.gov.in.
People can access the details of any property located in the 198 wards of the BBMP by a mere click of a mouse.
Designed by the IT wing of the BBMP, one can locate a property on the yet-to-be-named property tracking system by clicking on the map menu.
One has to enter either Property Identification (PID) number or name of the owner and the address to get details.
A balloon will pop up on the property, indicating the location. A double-click on the balloon opens up the details (name of the owner, address etc).
The BBMP is in the process of uploading the scanned copies of application form pertaining to the tax payment.
New PID
Under the system, all the properties will be assigned a new PID number comprising ward number, street number and the property number.
In case of apartments, PID number will have subdivisions. For instance, individual flats in an apartment complex built on, say, plot number 98 will have PID number as 98/1, 98/2, 98/3 and so on.
The BBMP is planning to identify properties having tax arrears with red-colour mark on the system, while those not having any dues will go with blue mark.
BBMP Commissioner N Manjunath Prasad said GIS-linking of properties is aimed at bringing in transparency in the tax collection system in the Palike. “It has multiple advantages: Tax evaders and defaulters will be caught easily. The BBMP will know if a property is used for commercial purpose without permission. It also mounts pressure on the Revenue officials to collect tax from all the properties. It will automatically increase the revenue,” he added.
More importantly, the property owners can access information about their properties online and nobody can tamper with the details. Mapping of almost all the wards has been completed. The IT wing is conducting verification of the details.
Currently, the system is being fine-tuned by taking suggestions from experts. It will be uploaded on the website in a month’s time. The BBMP will keep updating information on the system. People can also give their feedback on corrections or modification need to be made, he said.
The GIS mapping of properties was first conceived in 2003. The then BMP had managed to map properties in 28 wards.
The entire exercise was shelved after the formation of BBMP and the subsequent delimitation of wards.
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