Coimbatore: Councillors question drone use for property tax assessment

16 Sep 2024 CW Team

Several councillors expressed their concerns at the Coimbatore Corporation Council meeting regarding discrepancies in property tax assessments conducted using drones.

In response to the queries, corporation commissioner M Sivaguru Prabakaran explained that drones were utilised to identify residential buildings that had been converted into commercial ones, detect plan violations, and spot new buildings that had not been assessed. He added that besides drone surveys, corporation officials would physically measure these properties.

He mentioned that the measurement details would be sent to the building owners as a notice, giving them a 15-day period to respond. Prabakaran further stated that if property owners had valid objections, the existing property tax would continue to apply. However, if any violations were found, the tax would be increased. He noted that the corporation had received only a few complaints about the survey and taxation process and emphasised that accurate assessments would generate revenue for the city, which is necessary for funding many infrastructure projects.

This meeting was the first presided over by Mayor K Ranganayaki after her election on August 6, with Deputy Mayor R Vetriselvan also in attendance. During the session, 83 resolutions were presented, of which all but three were passed. Among the rejected resolutions was one proposing a fixed monthly fee for users of indoor sports courts in 17 wards, and another suggesting a revision of the building permit fee for residential buildings exceeding 3,500 sq ft to Rs 88 per sq ft.

Despite objections from the chairperson of the finance and taxation committee, V B Mubasheera, the meeting also approved 17 resolutions related to finance, revenue, and taxation.

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