Pune: Civic Activists Demand Action as PMC Owes Rs 7,737 Crore in Unpaid Property Taxes
Pune, 2nd December 2025: Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) property tax records reveal a staggering Rs 7,737 crore in unpaid taxes across 1,667 properties, according to a recent Right to Information (RTI) request. The data, sourced from PMC’s Property Tax Department, shows that high-value properties account for a substantial portion of these arrears, raising concerns among civic activists about the authority’s recovery strategies.
Mobile Towers Lead Outstanding Dues- Of the total arrears, Rs 4,376 crore stems from 1,336 mobile tower cases, all tied up in ongoing legal proceedings. Civic activist Vivek Velankar urged the Pune Municipal Commissioner to establish a dedicated legal and recovery cell to expedite these cases, noting that even partial recovery could yield nearly Rs 2,000 crore for PMC.
Government and Semi-Government Defaulters The remaining Rs 355 crore is owed by government and semi-government entities, including: Defence Department: Rs 123 crore PMPML: Rs 120 crore MSEDCL: Rs 68 crore BSNL: Rs 14 crore MHADA: Rs 14 crore Nationalised banks: Rs 10 crore CWPRS: Rs 7 crore Other state departments: Rs 10 crore
Velankar stressed that recovering dues from these major defaulters could potentially generate revenue comparable to, or even exceeding, what PMC aims to collect through penalty waiver and amnesty schemes.
Social activist Sudhir Kaka Kulkarni criticised PMC’s approach, saying, “While ordinary taxpayers comply, major defaulters continue to evade payment. The civic administration has neglected these high-value cases for too long.”
He added that government and semi-government bodies frequently ignore property and water tax obligations without facing consequences, leaving ordinary taxpayers to shoulder the burden. “PMC must take urgent, time-bound action against large defaulters to ensure fairness and strengthen municipal finances,” Kulkarni urged.
As property tax arrears continue to climb, activists insist that targeted recovery and robust legal enforcement are critical to boosting revenue and maintaining equity in Pune’s taxation system.
