Bengaluru: The State Finance Commission (SFC) has proposed introducing an EMI scheme for property tax payments in Bengaluru to improve collection efficiency and ease the burden on taxpayers, The Indian Express reported on Wednesday.

The move, as per the fifth SFC report on five city corporations under Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), would help in increasing property tax collection efficiency. “A lump-sum payment each year might be difficult to manage, and splitting it into monthly payments might make it easier to pay while also softening the impact,” the report said.

The commission has also suggested offering rebates for timely payment of property tax, similar to the 5 per cent rebate previously offered by the erstwhile Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). Such a measure, the SFC observed, “can also incentivise people to pay on time.”

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Data cited in the report shows that as of September last year, the BBMP had identified around 2.75 lakh defaulters who owed Rs 786 cr in property tax dues. This came after the civic body recovered nearly Rs 1,200 crore in arrears through a one-time settlement scheme, which offered a full waiver of interest on arrears and a 50 per cent reduction in penalties.

According to the SFC, bringing unassessed properties under the tax net was expected to add approximately Rs 1,000 crore annually to the property tax revenue of five city corporations. It was being done by integrating the GIS-based e-khata system with the property tax system. The report said that “There are nearly five lakh properties that have not been brought under the tax net and remain unassessed.”

Another recommendation includes cross-checking property tax records with Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) data, especially for new connections, using GBA’s building licence data.

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Mumbai (PTI): The traffic on Mumbai-Pune Yashwantrao Chavan Expressway will be temporarily diverted for a few hours on April 23 and 24 on account of bridge maintenance work.

In a release issued on Tuesday, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) said the block is planned from 12 am to 3 pm on April 23 and 24, for removal of shuttering and painting work on a bridge located near Dongargaon-Kusgaon.

Traffic towards Mumbai will remain completely closed in the section on April 23 during the three hours long block. Vehicles will be diverted via the Kiwale-Dehu Road-Talegaon route onto National Highway 48 and rejoin at Kusgaon toll plaza.

Similarly, traffic towards Pune will be shut on April 24 from 12 pm to 3 pm, and vehicles will be diverted from Kusgaon toll plaza via National Highway 48 through the Dehu Road-Kiwale route.

In case of any difficulty, commuters can contact the MSRDC control room on 9822498224 or the highway police helpline at 9833498334, the release said.

Mumbai-Pune Expressway is the first access controlled Expressway of India.