Pune: With 628000 properties in the city, only half of the property owners have paid their taxes so far. Over the past two and a half months, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has collected ₹362.12 crores from 309233 property owners.

Property owners have until June 30 to take advantage of various tax discounts offered by the municipal corporation.

Due to a decline in revenue from construction permits, property tax has become the primary source of income for PCMC. Despite no tax increases in the last five years, the municipal corporation has expanded its tax base by surveying and registering new and enlarged properties.

The Property Tax Assessment and Collection Department has emphasized the importance of collecting both current and overdue taxes. As part of the Siddhi initiative, women's self-help groups have been distributing tax bills to property owners.

The municipal corporation offers several tax discounts, valid until June 30. As a result, many property owners prefer to pay their taxes in the first quarter of the financial year. PCMC operates 17 divisional offices for tax collection, and online payment options are available. However, a significant number of taxpayers still prefer to pay in cash.

To facilitate the payment process, the municipal corporation has opened tax payment centers from 9:45 AM to 6:00 PM. "In just two and a half months, we've collected ₹362.12 crores from 309,233 property owners," stated Assistant Commissioner Nilesh Deshmukh.

Office open on holidays too

To accommodate the June 30 deadline, tax collection centers will remain open on all four weekends in the period, including two Saturdays and two Sundays. The centers will operate from 9:45 AM to 6:00 PM on these days to ensure citizens have ample opportunity to pay their taxes and benefit from the discounts.