Pune: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has begun the process to attach 58 properties, most of which are commercial establishments, of tax defaulters to achieve its revenue target set for the 2025-26 financial year, civic officials said on Wednesday. “The civic administration is targeting major tax defaulters. Special teams have been deployed for these confiscations,” said Ravi Pawar, head of PMC’s property tax department.
Data available with PMC reveals approximately Rs 5,500 crore remains to be recovered from defaulters. While activists have welcomed the crackdown, they have demanded that PMC take stringent measures, such as filing criminal complaints against repeat offenders.PMC officials said before going ahead with attachment, a notice is issued to a defaulter and the property is sealed for a temporary period. But even if the payment is not made, PMC takes the property into its possession and puts its name on 7/12 abstracts. After the attachment, the civic administration auctions the property through an online bidding process.As part of the recovery measures, the administration recently played music bands in front of the properties of the tax defaulters, reminding them to pay the money they owed the civic body.Around 14.5 lakh properties are under the tax ambit of PMC. Data shows the civic body collected Rs 2,600 crore from taxpayers between April 2025 and Jan 2026, against Rs 2,007 crore in the corresponding period during 2024-25.“PMC planned to increase the property tax for common people. But this is wrong and will put a burden on diligent taxpayers. The administration must target the big tax defaulters. It must make sure that urgent steps are taken for recovery,” said Vijay Kumbhar of Surajya Sangharsha Samiti, a citizens’ group.Former corporator Shiva Mantri said the proposal of tax hike is unjust to those honest people who pay their property tax on time. “We wish to emphasise that PMC increased property tax just a few years ago, which placed a significant financial burden on common people,” he said. He said that according to his information, Pune’s property tax rates are already high; in fact, several other major cities in the country have lower tax rates compared to Pune. So before considering any further tax hikes, the administration should first prioritize the recovery of existing tax arrears.He said according to his information, Pune’s property tax rates are already high. “So before considering any further hike, the administration should prioritise the recovery of tax arrears.”PMC officials said issues like restrictions on property tax recovery in the 34 newly merged areas had hampered the overall collection last financial year.
