Chennai Corporation Targets Commercial Properties with Low Tax, Eyes ₹80 Cr Boost

The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has unleashed a concerted assault to raise its property tax revenues by targeting commercial buildings that are paying disproportionate taxes. The civic body, through major data cleansing endeavors, is busy identifying commercial properties with large built-up areas but with abnormally low tax assessments.

“Using data analytics, we’re pinpointing such anomalies, and notices for reassessment are being issued,” a senior official said. The reassessment drive is expected to generate an additional half-yearly demand of ₹80 crore.

The verification process is currently underway, and officials say this is part of a broader strategy to clean up property tax records and improve compliance. Residential properties across all 15 city zones, however, will be exempt from this reassessment exercise.

In parallel, the GCC is conducting data mapping with Tangedco and Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) to identify unregistered or under-assessed properties. This initiative has already created an arrear demand of ₹50 crore.

Further bolstering this effort is the Corporation’s GIS (Geographic Information System) project, which uses drone and satellite imagery to develop a detailed spatial database of the city. The technology has enabled the GCC to spot previously missed properties, resulting in an additional ₹65 crore half-yearly tax demand this year.

So far, about 6.82 lakh property tax assessees out of 13.84 lakh total have paid dues for this current half-year, contributing ₹658 crore. It shows an improvement of 14% compared to ₹577 crore collected during the same period last year.

Officials claim that these reforms will bring in transparency and efficiency in the taxation system, besides plugging the revenue leakages due to commercial holdings. These initiatives are considered the most crucial step in building a more sustainable urban infrastructure due to increasing financial demand in the city.