3 min readBengaluruFeb 10, 2026 02:05 PM IST
First published on: Feb 10, 2026 at 02:05 PM IST
In a major crackdown on property tax evasion, the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), along with the National Informatics Centre (NIC) and GPS survey teams, has uncovered nearly Rs 370 crore in underpaid property taxes across the city, said a GBA statement Monday.
The detection was based on an extensive door-to-door survey, GPS data collection, and drone-based mapping of built-up areas. The investigation revealed that nearly 10,000 properties had declared lower built-up areas or incorrect use details, resulting in significant revenue losses.
Bengaluru South City Corporation reported 5,141 properties evading tax, while Bengaluru West City Corporation had 3,420 such properties.
Munish Moudgil, Special Commissioner of Revenue and IT for GBA, stated, “We have found an evasion amounting to approximately Rs 370 crores across these 10,000 properties. This involves around 49,000 notices—one notice for each year—since each property has reported lower taxes for an average of about five years.”
Officials are surveying around 10,000 properties daily using handheld GPS devices, while high-resolution drone images map actual built-up areas. This data undergoes quality control verification before being matched against tax declarations.
Authorities identified numerous instances in which property owners declared smaller built-up areas or failed to disclose commercial use, even when properties were partly or fully used for business. Such discrepancies directly reduce tax calculations and revenue collections.
“GPS-based ground data is matched with drone images and digitised maps. If there is a mismatch in declared area or usage, a showcause notice is issued asking owners to pay evaded tax along with interest and penalty,” the GBA stated.
Notices are sent via SMS and IVR for faster communication. Property owners who receive notices may respond or file appeals within 15 days via the official portal at http://BBMPenyaya.karnataka.gov.in. Those wishing to settle dues immediately can pay online at: http://BBMPtax.karnataka.gov.in
How the survey was conducted
– House visit, the GPS team carries the property tax data of properties in the mobile app.
– Visiting team member captures GPS data of each property and also records usage (residential/commercial/mixed, etc.) and area put to that use.
The property’s GPS data, usage details, and number of floors are sent from the mobile app to the backend.
– The QC team conducts a quality check on all received properties and data sent by the GPS team. Rejected cases are sent back to the GPS team for review.
– QC-passed cases are compared with drone data and the digitised built-up areas. If the built-up area exceeds what citizens have declared, or if the use is commercial (in whole or in part) and not disclosed, the system will generate showcause notices. These notices require the payment of evaded taxes, along with any applicable interest and penalties.
Bengaluru South City Corporation reported 5,141 properties evading tax, while Bengaluru West City Corporation had 3,420 such properties. (Representational image). 
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