MCD to use 3D mapping to identify property tax defaulters in Delhi

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is set to launch a pilot project using 3D mapping and digital surveys to identify property tax defaulters and expand its tax base, senior MCD officials said on Sunday

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is set to launch a pilot project using 3D mapping and digital surveys to identify property tax defaulters and expand its tax base, senior MCD officials said on Sunday.

As per MCD records, tax from just 1.4 million properties has been received in 2025-26 financial year against a total of 3.25 million liable properties. (HT Archive)

As per MCD records,tax from just 1.4 million properties has been received in 2025-26 financial yearagainst a total of 3.25 million liable properties.

According to the pilot project details, a private agency has been engaged to carry out mapping and surveys of one ward each in four MCD zones -- Karol Bagh, Narela, Rohini and Shahdara South. “The exercise, expected to begin after the monsoon, will digitally catalogue every property, recording details such as its location, built-up area, number of floors and property tax status,” an MCD official said.

As per Section 114 of Delhi Municipal Corporation act, property tax can be levied on both buildings and vacant lands.

After the self assessment and unit area method for calculation of property tax was introduced in 2004, the onus of payment of tax has been on the property owner. However, only a few owners have filled the assessment on MCD portal.“We currently only have the property database of these 13.5 lakh properties, based on self assessment. Through the new survey, fresh database of all vacant lands and buildings will be created,” the official quoted above said.

A second civic official explained the technology will help detect cases where owners have either not paid the property tax or have under-reported the built-up area by paying tax for fewer floors.

The 3D mapping will create a digital inventory of all properties in the selected wards, allowing civic officials to access property details and tax records through a single platform “This is a pilot project. We have signed an agreement with a private agency to undertake the exercise at no cost to the corporation. If it succeeds in identifying more taxpayers and improving revenue collection, the model will be replicated across the city,” the senior official added.

The move comes against the backdrop of persistently low property tax compliance in the Capital. While MCD estimates that around 3.25 million properties are liable to pay tax under the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, only 1.4 million owners paid taxes in the last financial year.

Officials said the pilot will also test whether technology-driven mapping can replace conventional field surveys in improving assessment accuracy and strengthening property tax administration before it is expanded to other parts of Delhi.