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The Greater Chennai Corporation has introduced QR code-based payment options to maintain property tax collections during the election period, when many staff members are on poll duty. The initiative allows residents to pay dues digitally by scanning QR codes available on official platforms. With a collection target of around INR 900 crore for the current cycle, the civic body has already mobilised over INR 500 crore through online channels. The move is aimed at improving convenience, ensuring continuity in collections, and supporting recovery of pending dues without relying fully on physical collection systems.
The Greater Chennai Corporation has introduced QR code-based payment facilities for property tax to manage collections during the election period, when regular field operations have been affected. A significant number of civic staff have been assigned poll-related duties, which has slowed down door-to-door tax collection across the city. Advertisement
To address this, the corporation has enabled taxpayers to make payments by scanning QR codes available through its official website and other digital platforms. This allows property owners to complete transactions without visiting offices or waiting for in-person collection services. Officials indicated that this step was taken to ensure that revenue collection does not slow down during this period.
The civic body has set a property tax collection target of around INR 900 crore for the current half-year cycle. So far, it has collected about INR 511 crore, largely through online modes. This is slightly higher compared to the same period last year, indicating that digital payment systems are being used more actively by residents. Authorities are now focusing on closing the gap and achieving the remaining target in the coming weeks.
Chennai has more than 14 lakh registered property tax assessees, with an overall annual demand estimated at around INR 1,800 crore. In addition to current dues, the corporation is also working to recover pending arrears of nearly INR 120 crore. As part of earlier efforts, a list of major defaulters was made public, which helped the civic body recover close to INR 70 crore. Officials are continuing similar monitoring measures to improve compliance.
The QR code payment option is part of a broader shift towards digital systems in property tax administration. Over the past few years, the corporation has expanded online services, including portal-based payments and app integrations, to make the process easier and more transparent. Property tax remains one of the key revenue sources for the city, funding essential services such as road maintenance, drainage systems, and solid waste management.
In the previous financial year, the corporation recorded its highest-ever property tax collection, crossing INR 2,000 crore. This was supported by measures such as early payment incentives, including a 5 percent rebate offered to taxpayers who cleared their dues within the specified timeline for the first half of the year. These steps have gradually improved collection efficiency and taxpayer participation.
The current initiative also builds on earlier uses of QR-based systems by the corporation, including verification and payment tracking processes. By reducing dependence on manual collection, the civic body aims to maintain steady revenue inflow even during periods when field operations are limited.
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