The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) held a property tax correction camp at mayor Rajrani Malhotra’s New Colony office on Sunday, drawing about 250 Zone 1 and Zone 2 residents seeking to fix data errors dating to 2022, and spawned 360,000 objections
Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) commissioner Pradeep Dahiya. (Parveen Kumar/HT Photo)
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While the backlog has reduced from 11,029 cases late last year to 3,135 by March 26, officials said these delays left residents with little time to pay FY25 dues.
“There was also an expectation of a rebate from September 2024, which never materialised. That contributed to the delay in payments,” a senior MCG taxation official said.
MCG Commissioner Pradeep Dahiya reiterated that tax payment is mandatory under the Haryana Municipal Corporation Act, 1994. “Property tax must be deposited annually by March 31. Failure to do so attracts 18% interest, and defaulting properties may be sealed and auctioned,” he said.
Despite reducing its FY25 target to ₹300 crore — down from ₹500 crore the previous year — the civic body collected only ₹240 crore, 5% less than the ₹254 crore gathered in FY24. The gap, officials said, is due to incorrect property records, pending disputes, and owners waiting for rebates.
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To expedite dispute resolution, MCG has empowered zonal officers to correct minor discrepancies and has launched a door-to-door survey to improve data accuracy. The civic body has also pushed online payment solutions and introduced a No Dues Certificate (NDC) portal for residents to verify and update records.
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To expedite dispute resolution, MCG has empowered zonal officers to correct minor discrepancies and has launched a door-to-door survey to improve data accuracy. The civic body has also pushed online payment solutions and introduced a No Dues Certificate (NDC) portal for residents to verify and update records.
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While property tax remains Gurugram’s largest revenue source, contributing a projected ₹300 crore to the city’s ₹1,450 crore budget for 2025–26, officials admit that structural reforms and accurate data are essential for hitting targets. MCG has also shifted focus toward increasing income from stamp duty, building plan approvals, and advertisements to offset property tax underperformance.
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest.
Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents.
Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure.
Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing.
Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity.
Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations.
Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling.
A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.
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