Chennai Corporation struggles with delays in building reassessment

19 Oct 2023 CW Team

Six years have passed since the launch of the Greater Chennai Corporation's geographic information system-based building reassessment initiative, but nearly 80% of the buildings with deviations are yet to be reassessed.

Darashaw and Company, appointed by GCC, identified 3,10,139 buildings with deviations for reassessment and re-measurement. However, only 60,000 buildings have been remeasured, and among these, only 30,000 have been reassessed and included in the property tax calculations.

This delay has resulted in a significant revenue loss for the corporation, estimated at Rs 2.5 to 3 billion, constituting about 20% of its annual property tax revenue. Revenue officials attribute the delay to the diversion of the workforce to other tasks such as Covid-19 response, elections, monsoon preparations, and welfare schemes like the ?Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai? drive.

According to an unnamed revenue official, the assessment process involves thorough inspections, measurements, correlation with GIS mapping, and finalisation of deviations, with potential legal challenges from property owners further complicating the process. K Dhanasekaran, the standing committee chairman of the accounts department, highlighted that universities, marriage halls, and commercial buildings were the major violators. He emphasised the need for a dedicated survey team independent of the regular GCC workforce to expedite the reassessment process.

Dhanasekaran urged the corporation to establish a specialised team for building surveys and emphasised the importance of the commissioner reviewing the under-assessed buildings zone-wise to accelerate the reassessment drive. Deputy Commissioner (Revenue and Finance) R Lalitha assured that the drive would resume soon, with a commitment to reviewing and expediting the pending works.

Equipment

12 Dec 2025

Schwing Stetter India Unveils New Innovations at Excon 2025

Schwing Stetter India unveiled more than 20 new machines at Excon 2025, marking one of its most significant showcases and introducing several India-first technologies to the construction equipment sector. The company launched the country’s first 56-metre boom pump designed and manufactured in India, the first fully electric truck mixer, the first CNG mixer variant and the first hybrid boom pump. Executives said the launch portfolio was engineered to support India’s move toward faster, greener and more vertically oriented infrastructure through advanced engineering, clean-energy solutions a..

SEPC Resolves Hindustan Copper Dispute, Wins Rs 725 Mn Order

Engineering, procurement and construction firm SEPC Ltd has recently settled a dispute with Hindustan Copper Ltd (HCL) and secured a mining infrastructure order valued at Rs 725 million from the state-owned company. SEPC informed the stock exchanges that it has executed a settlement deed with HCL, bringing closure to all inter-se claims and counterclaims arising from arbitration proceedings. As part of the settlement, SEPC will receive Rs 304.5 million as full and final payment, marking the resolution of all pending disputes between the two entities. The company also stated that Hindustan Co..

20% Ethanol Blending Cuts India’s CO2 Emissions by 73.6 Mn Tonnes

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari recently said that India has reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 73.6 million metric tonnes due to the adoption of 20 per cent ethanol blending in petrol. He made the statement while replying to supplementary questions during the Question Hour in the Lok Sabha. Describing ethanol as a green fuel, the minister said it plays a key role in reducing pollution while also supporting higher incomes for farmers. He underlined that ethanol blending contributes both to environmental sustainability and rural economic growth. Nitin Gadkari also po..