The rollout of digital communication channels for property taxpayers is being planned by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) as part of a broader effort to strengthen tax compliance and simplify the payment process. A tender has been floated by the civic body's Assessment and Collection (A&C) Department for introducing property tax services through WhatsApp Business and Google Messages. The project has been estimated to cost ₹2.03 crore over a three-year period.
Under the proposed system, property tax bills, payment reminders and digital receipts will be delivered directly to taxpayers through their mobile phones. The existing arrangement, under which tax bills are issued twice every year for the April-September and October-March cycles, will continue to remain in place. Payments are currently accepted through the BMC website, ward offices and QR codes printed on physical tax bills. The new digital platform is expected to make the payment process more convenient while reducing dependence on physical communication.
It has been stated by civic officials that property owners who have completed their Know Your Customer (KYC) formalities and linked their mobile numbers with their property tax accounts will receive WhatsApp notifications containing bill amounts, due dates, outstanding dues, payment reminders and PDF copies of their tax bills. It has also been explained that payments will be enabled through QR code scanning, following which digital payment receipts will be issued instantly on WhatsApp. Taxpayers who have not completed KYC will instead receive property tax-related updates through Google Messages until their records are verified.
Property tax has continued to remain the BMC's largest independent revenue source, with collections being made from more than 10 lakh properties across Mumbai. Greater reliance has been placed on property tax revenues since octroi, which had long served as the civic body's biggest income source, was abolished following the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in 2017. At the same time, around 3.6 lakh residential properties measuring up to 500 square feet have remained exempt from property tax under a state government policy introduced by the BMC in 2022.
Strong revenue performance has also been reported by the A&C Department. During the 2025-26 financial year, property tax collections of ₹7,610.90 crore were achieved against a revised target of ₹7,341 crore, resulting in the target being exceeded by recording 103.68% of the expected collection.
Property owners have continued to be required to clear their dues within 90 days of receiving tax bills. If payments are not made within the prescribed period, recovery proceedings can be initiated by the civic body. Such measures include the issuance of notices, disconnection of water supply, attachment of properties and auction of assets.