Pune: PMC To Disconnect Water Supply for Property Tax Defaulters Starting 1st January
In a decisive move to recover outstanding property taxes, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has announced that it will begin disconnecting water connections for property owners with unpaid arrears starting 1st January.
This action comes after repeated notices to defaulters failed to yield results.
The PMC has reported property tax arrears exceeding ₹10,000 crore, with approximately 3.5 lakh defaulters across the city. For the financial year 2024-25, the PMC set a target to collect ₹2,727 crore in taxes, but has managed to collect only ₹1,900 crore so far. Despite a special campaign launched on 2nd December, which included sealing properties with a “Band Pathak” to recover dues and raised ₹71.41 crore, a large number of defaulters continue to evade payments.
Five teams have been formed to implement the water disconnection drive across the city’s five zones, including the central zone. Madhav Jagtap, Deputy Commissioner of the Tax Collection Department, confirmed that defaulters will face immediate water supply disconnection, and their connections will not be restored until the full payment of arrears is made.
Adding to the PMC’s challenges is the issue of property tax collection in the newly merged 34 villages of Pune. Objections from villagers led the government to halt tax collection in these areas before the recent Assembly Elections, impacting the PMC’s financial target by ₹300 to ₹400 crore. With no government decision on resuming collections, the PMC is intensifying its efforts by sealing properties and cutting water supplies to recover dues.
