Shimla MC Launches Door-to-Door Survey to Tackle Property Tax Evasion
Shimla – In a significant move to address property tax evasion, the Shimla Municipal Corporation has initiated a comprehensive door-to-door survey in five wards: Chhota Shimla, Kasumpti, Vikasnagar, Kanganadhar, and Panthaghati. The survey aims to label buildings with unique IDs, facilitating better tracking and collection of property taxes.
According to the Municipal Corporation, numerous building owners have failed to provide accurate information regarding their properties, leading to substantial property tax evasion. To tackle this issue, the civic body has outsourced the survey to a private company, which is meticulously gathering data across the town.
Previously, the corporation had employed Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping via drones to survey these wards. High-resolution drone cameras captured detailed images of buildings, laying the groundwork for the current door-to-door exercise.
Shimla Municipal Corporation Commissioner Bhupinder Attri emphasized that the survey is being conducted in two stages: the drone survey and the ongoing door-to-door survey. “Currently, we are executing the door-to-door survey, while the drone GIS mapping survey has already been completed. We plan to extend the GIS mapping survey to the remaining wards once weather conditions permit,” Attri stated.
The corporation aims to complete the survey by October. Once finished, the collected data will be uploaded manually onto the e-Sampatti portal. This data will then be integrated with the UPYOG portal, a national platform designed for delivering municipal services online.
Upon completion, each building in Shimla will receive a unique ID. This ID will streamline various services, including property tax payments, water supply bills, sewerage bills, and trade license applications, consolidating them into a single application for residents’ convenience.
