The civic body has issued demand notices and asked bill collectors to urge assessees to pay the dues before the end of March. Steps have been taken to keep all the tax collection centres open on Saturdays and Sundays. It has also flagged off a mobile tax collection vehicle on Monday to facilitate easy payment of property tax and water charges. “We have temporarily converted a van into a mobile collection centre and deputed personnel to collect tax in all the four zones of the town,” Corporation Commissioner M. Vijayalakshmi said.

The van is equipped with a computer with internet connection and a printer. The civic officials will collect the tax and issue the receipt on the spot. “The initiative has received a good response from people,” she said.

“We have already collected about 70 per cent of the total property tax demand this year,” she added.

The total property tax demand for the current fiscal is about Rs. 14.70 crore. Of which, the officials have collected a sum of Rs. 10.30 crore till date. The civic body has managed to collect more than 98 per cent of the tax in the previous fiscal.

The local body has also collected water charges to the tune of Rs. 2.74 crore, which was about 65 per cent of the total demand this year.

The town has tax collection centres at Suriyampalayam, BP Agraharam, Veerappan Chatram, Periya Semur, Sampath Nagar, Thindal, Surampatty and Kasipalayam.

It also has special counters at its main office on Brough Road. The civic administration has over 1.16 lakh assessees.