Pune: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has announced stringent measures to recover pending property tax dues. Beginning January 1, the corporation will disconnect water connections of property owners who have failed to clear their outstanding taxes. The initiative aims to address the growing revenue deficit due to unpaid taxes.

Property Tax: A Critical Revenue Source

Property tax serves as a vital income stream for the PMC, which has set a target of ₹2,727 crore for the current financial year. However, the total outstanding dues have surged to nearly ₹10,000 crore. Adding to the challenges, the state government has placed a moratorium on collecting property taxes from 34 villages recently included within PMC limits, resulting in an estimated revenue loss of ₹400–₹500 crore.

Aggressive Recovery Efforts in Progress

To tackle the mounting arrears, the PMC began intensified recovery operations on December 2. Five dedicated teams have been deployed to recover dues through various measures. These include visiting defaulters’ properties for seizure actions and playing bands outside their residences as a form of public embarrassment. To date, these efforts have resulted in the recovery of ₹71.41 crore in pending taxes.

Water Disconnections to Commence from January 1

In a further step to ensure compliance, the PMC will begin disconnecting water connections of defaulters on January 1. Recovery teams, each comprising a plumber, three laborers, a divisional inspector, and a ward inspector, will handle the task. Disconnected water connections will be restored only after the payment of complete dues.

Deputy Commissioner Madhav Jagtap has urged property owners to settle their dues promptly to avoid inconvenience. "Property owners should clear all pending dues at the earliest to avoid water disconnection," he emphasized.