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The Mohali Municipal Corporation (MC) has decided to roll back a requirement mandating submission of house photographs for property tax payments following concerns raised by councillors and residents. The directive, which required front and rear images of properties, was reportedly discouraging tax compliance due to fears of regulatory scrutiny. The mayor indicated that the condition had contributed to a shortfall in tax collections, with the civic body missing its annual target by a notable margin. The rollback is expected to simplify compliance procedures, improve participation in the property tax system, and stabilise municipal revenues, which remain a key funding source for infrastructure and civic services in the expanding urban jurisdiction.
The Mohali Municipal Corporation (MC), led by Mayor Amarjit Singh Sidhu, has announced in the past week that it will withdraw the requirement for property owners to submit front and rear photographs of their houses while paying property tax, following concerns over declining compliance and its impact on municipal revenue in Mohali. Advertisement
The decision emerged during a recent MC House meeting where councillors raised objections to the provision, stating that it had discouraged residents from paying property tax. The requirement had been introduced as part of documentation procedures, but feedback indicated that it was creating reluctance among homeowners, particularly those with pending approvals for structural modifications under the need-based changes policy.
According to discussions in the House, several property owners had undertaken alterations such as backyard constructions and were awaiting regulatory clearance. Councillors noted that submitting photographs could expose such properties to scrutiny or enforcement action by the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA), leading many residents to defer or avoid tax payments altogether.
The mayor acknowledged that the clause had inadvertently affected tax collections and indicated that directions would be issued to remove the requirement. He conveyed that apprehensions among residents had resulted in reduced participation in the tax system, contributing to a revenue gap for the civic body.
Municipal data presented during the meeting showed that the corporation had set a property tax collection target of INR 55 crore for the current financial year, but had so far collected approximately INR 46.88 crore, reflecting a shortfall of about INR 8.12 crore, or nearly 15 per cent.
Beyond the rollback decision, the House also deliberated on measures to improve administrative capacity and service delivery in newly incorporated areas. Proposals were approved to recruit around 1,000 sanitation workers along with additional technical and support staff, and to regularise long-serving contractual workers. Discussions also included restoring employee welfare benefits such as EPF and ESI, which had reportedly been discontinued in recent years.
Further administrative measures included plans to expand the property tax instalment system to facilitate phased payments and improve compliance. The House also considered restructuring municipal wards in response to expanding city limits, with proposals suggesting an increase in the number of wards to enhance governance coverage.
The rollback of the photograph requirement reflects a recalibration of procedural norms within the municipal tax framework, where compliance barriers are being reassessed in light of their impact on revenue mobilisation. For Mohali, where property tax forms a primary source of local funding, improving collection efficiency remains central to sustaining infrastructure development and civic services amid ongoing urban expansion.
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