Navi Mumbai: The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has achieved a record-breaking property tax collection of Rs 366.80 crore in the first quarter of the financial year 2025-26, the highest ever in its history. This feat was accomplished through a combination of citizen-focused initiatives, digital outreach, and the collective effort of municipal staff and residents, said an official from NMMC.

According to NMMC Commissioner and Administrator Dr. Kailas Shinde, the achievement was made possible due to the coordinated work of property tax department officials, women from self-help groups who delivered bills door-to-door, and responsible taxpayers across the city. He expressed gratitude to all contributors, stating that this milestone is a shared success, a statement released by NMMC, said.

The tax department collected revenue from 1,00,587 taxpayers out of a total of 3,47,788, with Rs 220 crore, or 66% of the total collection, received through online payments by 63,488 taxpayers. On the final day of the quarter alone, the department collected Rs 90.84 crore, underlining the urgency and public response ahead of the deadline.

The Nerul ward reported the highest individual collection, contributing Rs 74.13 crore. Additionally, 99,703 taxpayers benefited from a 10% rebate on the general tax component for early payment.

Property-type-wise, the collection was evenly split, with residential and industrial properties each contributing 33%, commercial properties 23%, and mixed and other categories 11%.

The NMMC has set an ambitious target of Rs 1,200 crore in property tax revenue for the full financial year. "To meet this, several innovations were introduced, including door-to-door bill distribution by SHG women, mobile app-based data collection and KYC updates, digital payment options, and a WhatsApp chatbot for accessing bills. We also promoted a 10% discount scheme on general tax for prompt taxpayers," a NMMC officer.

To further enhance efficiency, Foxberry Technologies Pvt. Ltd. was roped in for data analysis and awareness campaigns. Their contributions included strategic planning, mobile application development, and property owner data updates, which played a key role in streamlining the tax collection drive.

From July 1, NMMC has introduced a late payment penalty to encourage compliance. Taxpayers who missed the first-quarter deadline will now face a 2% monthly interest on outstanding dues.

Commissioner Dr. Kailas Shinde emphasized that timely tax payment is a reflection of public trust and civic responsibility. He lauded Navi Mumbai residents for their commitment and urged remaining defaulters to pay their dues promptly to avoid penalties and contribute to the city's ongoing development.