The civic body announced its intention to auction properties owned by tax defaulters in an effort to recover dues totalling Rs 160 million. The administration, having selected 200 properties for recovery, finalised the list, with 32 properties scheduled to be auctioned on February 5. Ajit Deshmukh, the head of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC)?s property tax department, stated, Notices were issued to all defaulting property owners, instructing them to clear their dues. Despite repeated warnings, these defaulters have failed to pay taxes, leading to the decision to auction their properties. The auction will take place online. PMC anticipates generating approximately Rs 2 billion from the auction. Should any property exceed the outstanding dues in its sale, the surplus amount will be returned to the property owners. A senior official mentioned, Property owners must apply for the remaining amount. Failure to claim the money within six months will result in its deposit into PMC's accounts. In preparation for the auction, the administration has included its name on the property cards and other relevant documents. Some property owners have neglected to pay taxes for a period of up to 10 years. The auction will adhere to the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act, which grants local self-governing bodies the authority to conduct such auctions for tax recovery. A civic official confirmed that approval from authorities such as the courts was obtained before initiating the auction.