MUMBAI: After several hiccups, the BMC
has finally kick-started mapping of properties with a pilot project at
Worli, under which 113 properties will be mapped. The purpose of the
pilot project is to gather details of properties for the capital value
property tax system. The data collected by the BMC will then be
superimposed on a base map developed by the National Informatics Centre
(NIC).

Additional municipal commissioner Rajiv Jalota said,
“The pilot project will help us gather data about properties across the
city. It will also streamline property tax calculation and every detail
about the properties will be available online.”

The pilot
project is being carried out by the assessment and collection
department. The data will be handed over to NIIT GIS Ltd., who would be
responsible for integrating it with the base map, a department official
said.

“The details would include year of construction, number
of floors, user category, nature and type of building, built-up area and
floor number. All these details are essential for calculating property
tax,” the official said. The information will be converted into a
software by plotting it on a map with GIS coordinates, giving
geographical details and additional information about the structure.

This process has been delayed for the past four years. In 2007, the
civic body had decided to conduct GIS mapping of these properties, which
would help digitize the records. However, after senior civic officials
objected to sending private contractors into the homes of citizens, the
plan was shelved.