COIMBATORE: With just a month remaining for the end of the financial year, the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation has intensified efforts to collect Rs 245 crore pending taxes by directly reaching out to taxpayers and organising special collection camps across the city this weekend.
Dedicated staff have been assigned to call building owners across all 100 wards in the five zones of Coimbatore and remind them to pay their dues before the deadline to avoid late payment penalties. Officials say this year's tax collection has fallen short of expectations, prompting the civic body to step up follow-ups. The civic body has around six lakh property taxpayers.
During the calls, officials inform residents that their property tax is still pending and request for the early settlement. Some residents respond by asking why they are being contacted now when a month still remains in the financial year. Corporation staff clarify that the calls only serve as reminders.
Officials said the early drive is also due to the possibility of announcement of Assembly elections soon. Once election work begins, many municipal staff could be deputed for poll duty, which may affect tax collection. Hence, departments have been asked to improve collections beforehand, without putting undue pressure on residents.
To make payments easier, the corporation will also conduct special tax collection camps from 9 am to 5 pm on February 28 and March 1 at several locations across the city.
In the East Zone, camps will be held at Viswasapuram Ration Shop, Veeriyampalayam Bhadrakaliamman temple area, Srivatsa Sankara Apartments in Valiyampalayam, Casa Grand Apartments in Kurumbampalayam and Nextown in Vilankurichi, besides Sungam Ground and Nesavalar Colony in Ondipudur.
In the West Zone, camps will be organised at SKR Nagar Community Hall in Kavundampalayam, Perumal Temple area in Sundapalayam and Aishwarya Garden in Edayarpalayam. In the North Zone, camps will function near Subramaniyam Palayam Ward Office, Amma Unavagam in Maniyakarampalayam, Gandhi Managar Ward Office, Avarampalayam Ward Office and Teachers Colony in Ganapathy.
Similarly, camps in the South Zone will be held at Dharmaraja Temple Hall and near Saravana Medical on Rice Mill Road in Kuniyamuthur, and Mariamman Temple Street and GK Square in Masachampalayam. In the Central Zone, camps will operate at the Corporation Commercial Complex on Perumal Kovil Street in Ramanathapuram and at the Children's Park on Narayanasamy Street in Sanganur.