LUDHIANA: In a bid to close the gap on unpaid municipal dues, the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation (MC) is launching a first-of-its-kind “doorstep tax collection” service.
Under the new initiative, civic employees equipped with handheld point of sale (POS) machines will visit residential and commercial properties to calculate and collect taxes on the spot. The move marks a shift toward a “service-at-your-door” model, targeting residents who have failed to visit MC offices to clear their annual or pending dues.
Smart assessment and real-time tracking
The MC has procured 48 POS machines, with 12 units assigned to each of the city’s four zones. Unlike water supply dues, which are fixed, property tax requires specific calculations based on area and usage. The new digital handhelds allow officials to evaluate the property size and determine the exact tax liability immediately.
MC superintendent Vivek Verma stated that Ludhiana will be the first city in Punjab to implement this system. “The biggest advantage is that the collection will be live on the MC dashboard,” Verma said. “This allows us to monitor field staff in real-time, ensuring there are no errors in assessment or manual mistakes.”
Targeting defaulters
The drive comes as the civic body pushes to meet its annual financial goals. This year, the MC has recovered ₹142 crore against a target of ₹160 crore. Officials believe the remaining ₹18 crore — and significant arrears from previous years — rest with “violators” who avoid official counters.
The new system offers taxpayers three points of convenience. The first is immediate receipts. Paper or digital receipts will be issued on the spot. The second is multiple payment modes. Residents can pay via digital transfers, bank drafts, or cash. The third is audit on wheels. Staff will use the machines to check if taxes from previous years were calculated accurately according to current norms.
Mayor Inderjit Kaur is expected to formally inaugurate the drive following a short training period for the field staff. While the water supply branch already collects dues door-to-door, officials say this more complex property tax rollout represents a significant technological upgrade for the city’s revenue department.
