MCD's mandatory Geotagging sparks resident discontent, technical concern

26 Dec 2023 CW Team

Residents in various colonies express skepticism about the necessity of geotagging, claiming that MCD officials have been unable to provide convincing explanations during organised meetings. Some argue that at a time when MCD is still receiving complaints about online modules for filing property tax, adding latitude and longitude information to the same system is impractical. Sanjay Rana, a member of the Greater Kailash I Residents Welfare Association (RWA), notes the previous abandonment of the GIS mapping project by MCD.

Sangita Thukral of Chittaranjan Park Blocks M&P RWA voices concerns about the lack of clarity on how group housing societies and DDA flats will undergo the geotagging process. Despite MCD officials' claim of conducting workshops to explain the geotagging process, residents and RWAs express dissatisfaction, citing issues such as software glitches and difficulties in providing information from unregistered numbers.

An MCD official defends the geotagging initiative, likening the process to booking a cab through a simple app. The official asserts that the process is straightforward for properties with a Unique Property Identification Code (UPIC). MCD officials state that approximately 200 workshops have been held, and 30,000 properties have already been geotagged.

Residents, particularly in east and northeast Delhi with numerous unauthorised regularised colonies, express concerns about the education level of citizens and their apprehension about providing accurate information. There is also criticism of the decision to deny tax rebates to those who do not complete geotagging before the specified deadline.

Despite residents' skepticism, MCD officials insist that the geotagging exercise will benefit residents by helping calculate the requirements for sanitation and other civic services based on property records. They plan to launch videos and hold meetings with RWAs to explain the benefits of the Sahbhagita scheme and facilitate information verification.

Critics, including Atul Goyal, president of the United Residents? Joint Action, question the fairness of threatening to end rebates for non-compliance and express concerns about MCD's server functionality. Residents argue that instead of providing incentives, MCD should focus on streamlining the process and assisting senior citizens who may not be tech-savvy.

MCD officials counter these concerns by emphasising the need for resident cooperation in identifying non-taxpayers through geotagging data. They believe that the information gathered will help identify tax defaulters and improve overall property tax compliance.

The Geotagging of properties has been made mandatory by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) with the aim of gathering real-time information about taxable properties within its jurisdiction. To encourage compliance, the MCD has announced a 10% rebate on property tax for those who complete the geotagging process before January 31 of the upcoming year. However, this initiative has sparked discontent among property owners who argue that the civic body failed to adequately prepare before implementing the measure. Residents in various colonies express skepticism about the necessity of geotagging, claiming that MCD officials have been unable to provide convincing explanations during organised meetings. Some argue that at a time when MCD is still receiving complaints about online modules for filing property tax, adding latitude and longitude information to the same system is impractical. Sanjay Rana, a member of the Greater Kailash I Residents Welfare Association (RWA), notes the previous abandonment of the GIS mapping project by MCD. Sangita Thukral of Chittaranjan Park Blocks M&P RWA voices concerns about the lack of clarity on how group housing societies and DDA flats will undergo the geotagging process. Despite MCD officials' claim of conducting workshops to explain the geotagging process, residents and RWAs express dissatisfaction, citing issues such as software glitches and difficulties in providing information from unregistered numbers. An MCD official defends the geotagging initiative, likening the process to booking a cab through a simple app. The official asserts that the process is straightforward for properties with a Unique Property Identification Code (UPIC). MCD officials state that approximately 200 workshops have been held, and 30,000 properties have already been geotagged. Residents, particularly in east and northeast Delhi with numerous unauthorised regularised colonies, express concerns about the education level of citizens and their apprehension about providing accurate information. There is also criticism of the decision to deny tax rebates to those who do not complete geotagging before the specified deadline. Despite residents' skepticism, MCD officials insist that the geotagging exercise will benefit residents by helping calculate the requirements for sanitation and other civic services based on property records. They plan to launch videos and hold meetings with RWAs to explain the benefits of the Sahbhagita scheme and facilitate information verification. Critics, including Atul Goyal, president of the United Residents? Joint Action, question the fairness of threatening to end rebates for non-compliance and express concerns about MCD's server functionality. Residents argue that instead of providing incentives, MCD should focus on streamlining the process and assisting senior citizens who may not be tech-savvy. MCD officials counter these concerns by emphasising the need for resident cooperation in identifying non-taxpayers through geotagging data. They believe that the information gathered will help identify tax defaulters and improve overall property tax compliance.