Bangalore Authorities have initiated an electronic payment system for property tax aimed at alleviating the challenges faced by the city's residents. Unfortunately, numerous complaints have emerged from Bangaloreans who are unable to access this e-payment facility.
Many Bangalore residents have no access to the e-payment of property tax.
BANGALORE: Although the e-payment system for property tax was launched in Bangalore to assist residents, a slew of complaints regarding its accessibility has surfaced.
When the Bangalore authority announced the e-payment, it was said to eliminate all the hassles faced by property owners. Contrary to this promise, the reality remains unchanged.
A significant number of property owners still find themselves unable to pay their property tax online, resulting in necessary visits to the property tax office.
Tax collection for the year 2013-14 has commenced, yet over fifty thousand residents in Byatarayanapura alone are encountering difficulties in making online payments.
The situation is similar in Vidyaranyapura, a North-West area of Bangalore, where residents report a complete lack of access to the e-payment option.
E-payment of property tax is still unavailable to many Bangalore residents.
"Last year too, we were not able to pay the property tax online. This year too, the story is not anything different," lamented a Vidyaranyapura resident who owns a 2 BHK flat purchased in 2005.
Another property owner recounted his experience, stating that when he approached revenue officers for assistance in paying tax online, he was instructed to make the payment directly at the office. He is a resident of Dodda Bommasandra near Vidyaranyapura.
Many property owners are wary of using the e-payment system, choosing instead to complete their tax payments in person at government offices.
A BBMP official noted that the authority has been unable to provide property identification (PID) numbers to more than 50,000 property owners in the revenue pockets of Byatarayanapura due to ongoing election work. He promised that measures would be implemented to rectify this issue promptly.