Panvel: PMC introduces QR code for citizens to access property tax details, make payments

The Panvel Municipal Corporation (PMC), facing stiff resistance from a section of citizens over the collection of property tax, has introduced a QR code facility to each property tax holder.

Now, citizens under PMC can scan the QR code and get details for their property tax and make payments accordingly. With new features, citizens do not need to visit the civic office as the QR code has been made available.

The PMC claims to become the first civic body in the state to have started such a facility for citizens. So far, the civic body could only collect 10 per cent of the estimated property tax, so it is now adopting the latest technology to facilitate citizens to make payments easily.

The facility has been made available at every citizen service centre of the municipal corporation. A different QR code is assigned to each property and by scanning this QR code, the property holder can access details of the property tax just by scanning the QR code.

A senior civic official said that the PMC is the only civic body in the state that has implemented such a facility for citizens. The QR code scanner facility is available at the mobile app store with the name “PMC Tax App”.

“Normally, citizens have to keep the property tax receipts till they make the payment. If it goes missing, they have to make rounds of civic offices to get a duplicate copy,” said the official.

He added that the property tax holder is also unaware of how much he or she has to pay if there is any delayed charge. By using the app, citizens can now scan the QR code available at the civic centres to get all the details, he added.

“Property tax holders can also pay online using the app through Bhim, UPI, Google Pay, PhonePay or other online transaction platforms,” said the official.

Most importantly, citizens can avail of additional rebates by paying through the app.

As per the data shared by the civic body, a total of 5,165 citizens have already downloaded the mobile app for tax payment and around Rs 43,50,803 property taxes have been paid using the App. The civic body has also offered a rebate on property tax payments till March 31.