Bengaluru’s civic body, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), is set to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to identify illegal constructions and enhance tax collection, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar announced on Monday. Additionally, BBMP will introduce doorstep delivery of khata (property ownership documents) from April 2025 to streamline property-related services for citizens.
AI to Identify Illegal Constructions & Boost Tax Collection
Speaking after a BBMP budget 2025-26 meeting with Bengaluru legislators, Shivakumar highlighted the issue of property owners illegally constructing extra floors without proper sanction and evading proportionate tax payments. He stated that AI would be employed to identify and measure such illegal expansions.
“Many property owners have built excess floor areas without legal sanction and are not paying taxes accordingly. We will use AI to detect these violations and ensure compliance,” he said, as reported by ANI.
The minister also revealed that out of Bengaluru’s 7 lakh properties, approximately 1 lakh have now been brought under the tax bracket, while efforts continue to bring the remaining into compliance. Furthermore, a new law—passed last week—grants BBMP the authority to attach illegal properties, a power it previously lacked.
To curb corruption, BBMP officials found colluding with property owners to evade taxes will be suspended, he warned.
Doorstep Khata Delivery from April
In a bid to simplify property-related documentation, digitized khata documents will be delivered directly to citizens’ doorsteps starting April. Shivakumar assured that awareness campaigns would be launched in collaboration with local MLAs to inform residents about the new initiative.
BBMP’s Crackdown on Property Tax Defaulters
BBMP has intensified efforts to recover outstanding property tax dues, specifically targeting 1.73 lakh chronic defaulters who owe a collective sum of ₹390 crore.
According to BBMP Special Commissioner (Revenue) Munish Moudgil, out of Bengaluru’s 20.5 lakh registered taxpayers, around 3.49 lakh property owners have failed to pay their dues. Among them, 1.76 lakh defaulters have not paid for the current year, while 1.73 lakh have been repeatedly defaulting for multiple years.
Sources By Agencies