Patna Municipal Corporation Initiates Comprehensive Citywide Property Survey
The Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) is launching an extensive citywide survey to investigate the significant disparity between the number of electricity connections and registered properties, known as holdings, in the state capital. This initiative aims to pinpoint unregistered properties, validate self-assessments, determine actual occupancy status, and uncover misuse of residential holdings for commercial and other non-residential purposes.
Addressing a Critical Discrepancy in Urban Records
According to PMC officials, Patna currently boasts over five lakh electricity connections, yet only approximately 3.06 lakh properties are officially registered as holdings with the civic body. This alarming gap has prompted the urban development and housing department (UDHD) to issue new directives for a thorough ground survey across all sectors under PMC jurisdiction to cross-verify existing records.
The urgency of this exercise has been heightened by a recent Supreme Court order, which mandates municipal bodies across all states and Union territories to identify residential areas being misappropriated for commercial activities. These bodies must submit affidavits detailing such violations by mid-May 2026.
Mayor Sita Sahu Outlines Survey Strategy and Goals
Patna Mayor Sita Sahu announced that the process of empaneling an expert agency has already commenced, alongside the deployment of PMC's own surveyors. The agency will conduct door-to-door surveys in every ward to map holdings officially categorized as residential but actually utilized for shops, offices, coaching centers, lodges, eateries, guest houses, and other commercial enterprises, she explained.
Mayor Sahu emphasized that the survey is anticipated to broaden the tax base and mitigate revenue losses. It will facilitate precise assessment of holding tax based on the genuine use of properties and enhance overall urban governance in the city, she added.
Organizational Framework and Survey Methodology
To streamline the operation, the PMC has segmented its six circles—Azimabad, Bankipur, Kankerbagh, New Capital, Patliputra, and Patna City—into 375 sectors dedicated to revenue collection and sanitation. Survey teams will methodically cover each sector to ensure comprehensive data collection.
Current Self-Assessment System and Verification Process
PMC Public Relations Officer Harshita elaborated on the existing system, noting that property owners are required by law to perform self-assessment. Through the PMC portal, owners input details such as name, address, ward number, property area, and category—residential or commercial—and upload Aadhaar and property-related documents. Following self-assessment, they receive a self-assessment number for tax payment, she stated.
However, Harshita clarified that a permanent Property ID (PID) is issued only after physical verification by revenue teams from the respective circles. The survey will scrutinize whether the filed assessments are accurate and whether the property is used for self-residence, rented out, or converted for commercial purposes like shops, godowns, offices, or coaching centers, she explained.
Tax Implications and Enforcement Measures
Harshita highlighted that different usage categories incur varying tax rates, with rented or non-residential properties typically subject to higher holding taxes. Many individuals conceal alterations in usage, such as renting out a house or opening a shop, because taxes increase slightly for profit-oriented or commercial use. All such modifications are cross-verified by our teams, she remarked, adding that the department recently identified the substantial gap between electricity connections and registered holdings in Patna.
In a related development, the PMC is offering a five percent rebate on lump sum property tax payments made before June 30, the first quarter of the financial year. Additionally, new property purchasers—including land or flats—within PMC limits must complete self-assessment within 30 days of acquisition. Failure to comply will result in penalties of Rs 2,000 for residential properties and Rs 5,000 for non-residential properties, as confirmed by officials.
