KOCHI: In a significant step to increase income and prevent leakage in tax collection, Kochi corporation is set to expand the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping of buildings to more divisions. The move comes in response to issues related to tax collection.
The GIS mapping of buildings in the city for accurate assessment of property tax was initiated in 2021. The project is being carried out in association with the Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society (ULCCS). “Mapping of the divisions included in the initial stage of the project has been completed and a report prepared. Mapping in other divisions will be carried out after the review of the report by the finance and tax appeal committees. Divisions with a higher population density and more buildings, like Vytilla, will be picked in the next phase,” said K A Manaf, the tax appeal committee chairperson
According to officials with Kochi corporation, the GIS mapping of eight divisions — Fort Kochi, Kalvathy, Earavely and Karippalam, in the West Kochi area, and Ernakulam North, Ernakulam South and Ernakulam Central — has been completed.
Meanwhile, given the changes following corporation delimitation, house and building numbers will also be updated in KSMART. “We plan to issue notices by next month to owners of buildings with unauthorised extensions by next month. For this, we need accurate data on building details and locations,” said M G Aristotle, a member of the finance standing committee.
The corporation, in its budget for financial year 2026-27, too, proposed the constitution of a committee to formulate policies and implement measures to increase its own fund. The GIS mapping is expected to bring all buildings under the tax structure and identify discrepancies.
“By including all buildings and extensions in the tax structure and regulating the tax collection, we expect to increase the income of the corporation by a minimum of 5%,” said Aristotle, adding that the faults in the system should be rectified to improve tax collection.
The corporation has proposed to increase the total revenue by an additional `30 crore by regulating the collection of entertainment, professional and building taxes in the 2026-27 budget.