Bengaluru authorities have intensified enforcement of property tax compliance, uncovering a large-scale under-declaration of built-up areas across the city. The Greater Bangalore Authority (GBA) has issued tens of thousands of reassessment notices, signalling a systematic push to recover revenue and ensure equitable civic contributions.
Using an integrated suite of geographic information systems, drone surveillance, and GPS‑enabled inspections, municipal teams have detected discrepancies between declared property sizes and actual measurements. In a notable case from Kengeri, a residential property originally reported as 2,800 square feet was reassessed at 5,458 square feet. The recalculated tax, including penalties and interest, more than quadrupled the original liability, highlighting the financial implications for under-reporting property details. A senior municipal official explained that the initiative combines digital mapping with on-ground verification to create a high-accuracy property database. Each inspection is cross-checked through a quality control mechanism, and automated alerts trigger legal notices when inconsistencies are confirmed. Citizens receive notifications through multiple channels, including SMS and interactive voice systems, with the option to respond online within a 15-day window or settle the reassessed tax immediately.
The scope of the enforcement has been significant. Early phases of the operation identified over 23,000 properties with mismatched information, amounting to recoverable revenue exceeding ₹688 crore. Daily field inspections cover thousands of properties, demonstrating the city’s commitment to closing gaps in municipal revenue collection and promoting accountability. Urban planners note that property tax accuracy is essential not only for fiscal stability but also for sustainable urban management. “Accurate cadastral data allows cities to plan infrastructure, services, and public amenities efficiently,” said a senior urban affairs analyst. Misreported properties can distort population density calculations, strain local utilities, and affect equitable distribution of municipal resources.
Experts emphasise that while citizens bear immediate fiscal responsibility, the crackdown has broader civic significance. A reliable property register supports climate-resilient city planning, ensures fair taxation across income groups, and discourages speculative real estate practices that can exacerbate spatial inequality. As Bengaluru continues this intensive reassessment campaign, municipal authorities indicate that enforcement will expand to all wards, with a focus on digital-first monitoring and precise geospatial verification. For property owners, the message is unequivocal: transparency in declaration is essential, and technological oversight now ensures near-complete coverage.
