PUNE: The Dehuroad Cantonment Board (DCB) made an appropriate assessment of its properties by effectively using drones, which led to a fourfold increase in property tax revenue in 2023.
“Our annual property tax revenue was Rs 1.8 crore earlier. But now, using an effective drone survey, the revenue has increased to Rs 6.5 crore,” Amit Mane, defence estate officer of Pune Circle, told TOI. It must be noted that the cantonment is spread across 9,500 acres.
The registered properties under the DCB have undergone significant changes in the last few decades. Till now, the cantonment was assessing and charging tax as per old records. However, Amit Mane initiated the drone survey when he was the chief executive officer of the DCB. It became the first successful drone exercise conducted by the cantonment in the country. “Acknowledging the positive outcomes, the Ministry of Defence has conferred an ‘innovation in public service’ award to DCB,” he said.
“Our staffers face difficulties in conducting property assessments in the cantonment as it is spread in nine villages and 11 slums. Additionally, citizens do not allow them to conduct surveys. Hence, we approached the College of Military Engineering (CME), which has a dedicated team for it,” Mane added. “The team deployed three drones to survey the properties in different zones. They submitted accurate images of each property. We corroborated it with our records and used software to identify the increased area of houses on the property. Based on our findings, we changed taxation for the citizens,” he said.We have received objections from 7,000 citizens on the new assessment method for the properties, said officials. “As per the procedure, the cantonment authorities conducted 3,000 hearings and explained the process to the citizens with documentary proofs. As a result, we did not face any stiff resistance and also addressed the objections in the best way possible,” Mane explained.
