‘Time limit for property tax queries lapsed before getting notices’

CHENNAI: As the Greater Chennai Corporation has been serving the property tax revision notices to property owners and asking them to pay up the taxes on revised rates, some owners express that the 15-day time limit to send objections has already lapsed before receiving the notices through post.

A property owner in Kolathur, on condition of anonymity, said that he had received the revision notice on July 2 but the notice has been dated June 15. "Even before receiving the notice, the time limit for objections has lapsed. Several property owners also experienced similar issues, " he added.

When asked, a Chennai Corporation official attached to the revenue wing said that the delay occurs due to the various processes involved in sending the notices. "However, the property owners can still send their objections and doubts to the civic body as the 15-day time limit would only commence based on the dispatch date registered in the postal department, " he explained.

He further added that dispatch dates are being registered using the barcode on the envelope and the postal department shares the details periodically. "We will entertain all the objections and clear doubts,” he added.

The civic body had already sent more than 5 lakh property revision notices to the residents up to June 27. In total, there are more than 13 lakh property tax assessments in the city and notices will be sent to all the owners.

Meanwhile, the civic body has requested owners to pay up their taxes as per the revised rates using QR codes printed on the notices. Also, owners can pay their taxes by handing over cheques, demand drafts and others to the tax collectors or visit www.chennaicorporation.gov.in to pay their taxes without transaction charges. Payments can also be made at selected banks, Namma Chennai App, Paytm, BHIM and others. Property owners, who had paid taxes on old rates, should pay the balance amount.