Thiruvananthapuram Uses AI to Target ₹200 Crore in Unpaid Property Tax
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala | September 1, 2026: The Thiruvananthapuram Corporation is planning to use artificial intelligence and technology-driven systems to identify property tax defaulters and recover around ₹200 crore in outstanding dues.
The civic body has collected nearly ₹160 crore against total property tax dues of around ₹360 crore. Government offices, courts and other public institutions account for a significant share of the pending amount.
AI to Help Identify Major Defaulters
The proposed technology system will work with the corporation's existing property tax database to identify properties with long-pending dues and prioritise major defaulters.
The system could help officials:
- Analyse property tax records
- Identify long-standing arrears
- Flag major defaulters
- Track recovery actions
- Reduce delays in following up on unpaid taxes
The corporation is currently examining how the technology can be integrated with its existing administrative systems.
Government Institutions Also Have Outstanding Dues
Recovering property tax from government departments and public institutions has emerged as one of the corporation's biggest challenges.
Officials said several state and central government establishments have not cleared their dues despite receiving repeated demand notices.
The revenue wing reportedly issues demand notices every six months, but some defaulters continue to remain unpaid.
The corporation is expected to examine the legal and administrative process for recovering dues from these institutions.
Why Property Tax Recovery Matters
Property tax is an important source of revenue for urban local bodies.
For Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, recovering a substantial portion of the ₹200 crore outstanding amount could strengthen its finances and provide additional resources for infrastructure development and essential civic services.
Better digital tracking could also help improve the accuracy of property records and reduce gaps between assessed and collected tax.
Property Tax Services Are Already Going Digital
The corporation has been shifting property tax payments and grievance handling to digital platforms such as K-Smart.
The proposed AI system could build on this digital infrastructure by helping officials analyse large volumes of property and tax data more efficiently.
This could eventually make the recovery process more targeted rather than relying mainly on manual identification and follow-up.
What This Means for Property Owners
For property owners, the move signals a stronger shift towards technology-based property tax monitoring.
Owners with pending dues could face more systematic follow-up as digital systems make it easier for authorities to identify outstanding payments.
At the same time, better-maintained digital records could help property owners identify discrepancies in their tax assessments or property details and raise them through the appropriate channels.
What Happens Next
The corporation is currently consulting technology experts and examining how an AI-based recovery system can work with its existing database.
A detailed presentation on the proposed system is expected after further consultations.
If implemented effectively, the initiative could help the corporation recover a significant portion of its ₹200 crore property tax arrears while improving revenue management and supporting better delivery of civic services.