KOCHI: Taking into consideration the difficulty in paying property tax online, the Kochi corporation has decided to extend the deadline for its payment until September 30. Pointing out that the problem is due to non-updation of the information about the buildings in the K-Smart platform, Kochi Mayor M Anilkumar said, “The property owners who couldn’t pay the tax online can now use the opportunity to add their buildings in the K-Smart platform till September 30.”
He said, “All taxpayers are requested to pay their property tax online in September. The Corporation has appointed staff for this purpose in the respective zonal offices. An adalat is being organised in every division to make the municipal services more efficient.”
According to him, the adalat will be conducted in the zonal offices where the property tax is paid. “Residents can approach zonal offices to resolve property tax-related issues on the days notified. If their buildings are not included in K-Smart, steps will be taken to include them and resolve the issues on the spot.”He explained that the property tax is paid in two half-yearly periods. “The first half-yearly tax is due in September and the second is due in March. In the past, the taxes had to be paid at the respective zonal offices of the Corporation. But with the implementation of the K-Smart application, birth, death and marriage registrations are all done online. Also, the licenses for traders and businesses are applied for and issued online. Following this, the municipality’s website was modified and now, even building permits are applied for and issued online,” said the Mayor.
“With the entire process going online, all existing complaints related to the aforesaid issues have been resolved. However, the current problem regarding the issuance of trade licenses has cropped up due to difficulties being faced in paying property tax. If people find that their buildings are not included in K-Smart, steps will be taken to include them and resolve the issues on the spot.
Everyone is requested to pay the property tax in September itself,” said the Mayor. Divisional adalats will be held in all Zonal Offices (including the Main Office) on the following days.
Main office - on Sep. 6 (divisions 56, 58), 7 (divisions -59, 60), 8 (divisions - 61,62), 9 (divisions - 64, 65), 10 (division - 66, 67) and 11 (divisions - 68) at 9:30 am
Edappally - on Sep. 6 (divisions 33, 34), 7 (divisions -36, 37), 8 (divisions - 38,39), 9 (divisions - 40,41), 10 (division - 42,43), 11 (divisions - 44,71), 12 (division - 35, 70) and 13 (division - 72) at 9:30 am.