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Six years after launching a Geographic Information System-based building reassessment drive, the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has assessed only a fraction of buildings with deviations. Out of 310,139 identified buildings, only 30,000 have been reassessed and added to property tax records, leading to a revenue loss of Rs 250–300 crore. Revenue officials attribute the delay to various tasks, such as addressing Covid-19, elections, and welfare schemes. Universities, marriage halls, and commercial buildings are among the major violators. A dedicated team and expedited reassessment are proposed solutions. Deputy Commissioner R. Lalitha pledges to resume the drive.
Six years have transpired since the inception of the Geographic Information System (GIS)-based building reassessment initiative by the GCC. Regrettably, the passage of time has revealed a disconcerting reality: almost 80 percent of buildings characterized by deviations from prescribed norms remain unexamined and unaccounted for. The GCC had entrusted Darashaw and Company Private Limited with the formidable task of identifying 310,139 such non-conforming structures, with the objective of conducting a meticulous reassessment and re-measurement process. Advertisement
Astonishingly, the corporation has thus far succeeded in re-evaluating a meagre 60,000 of these structures. Furthermore, only 30,000 of these have undergone a thorough reassessment and, subsequently, been integrated into the ambit of property tax collection. The financial repercussions of this incomplete assessment are grave, as the corporation grapples with the erosion of revenue to the extent of Rs 250 to 300 crore, constituting approximately 20 percent of its annual property tax revenue.
The attribution of this delay is placed at the doorstep of revenue officials who, over the years, have been diverted to engage in multifarious responsibilities. These include navigating the turbulent waters of the Covid-19 pandemic, fulfilling electoral obligations, addressing seasonal monsoons, and administering welfare programs such as the 'Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai' initiative.
The ramifications of these diversions have resonated acutely in the domain of field assessments, which necessitate a comprehensive and methodical process. Revenue officers tasked with reassessing buildings are obliged to embark on a journey that encompasses physical inspection of the structures, precise measurement, cross-referencing with GIS mapping, and the meticulous finalization of deviations. This intricate and time-consuming endeavour is further compounded when property owners opt to challenge the reassessment through legal recourse.
K. Dhanasekaran, the Chairman of the Standing Committee within the Accounts Department, has discerned that universities, marriage halls, and commercial edifices are among the most egregious violators of building regulations. He underscores that certain universities obtained building approvals several decades ago, but the subsequent evolution of their architectural landscape within their compounds often eludes the scrutiny of external observers. This oversight has resulted in the GCC suffering substantial financial losses.
Dhanasekaran has advanced a compelling proposal: the establishment of a specialized team designated for the purpose of conducting comprehensive surveys of these structures. He emphasizes the pressing need to relieve the GCC's existing workforce from their routine daily obligations, which have hitherto impeded progress. In this vein, he urges the Commissioner to undertake a systematic review of the under-assessed buildings, scrutinizing each zone individually and expediting the reassessment procedure.
R. Lalitha, the Deputy Commissioner responsible for Revenue and Finance, has proffered assurance that the reassessment endeavour will be promptly reinvigorated. She emphatically states that they will review and expedite the work, offering hope that the long-pending reassessments will, at last, come to fruition.
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