The properties that feature in the defaulters list include offices, flats, shops and residential buildings. “We have sent notices to all these properties. To penalise owners of illegal properties, we’ll charge them three times the actual tax. We would identify 1,000 more defaulter properties in a month’s time, which will help us generate revenue,” said Hemant Nikam, head of the PMC’s tax collection dept.u00a0

“We had set a target to collect Rs 300 crore, which we intend to collect by the end of this month. We have already collected Rs 225 crore, and are hopeful to add Rs 82 crore in the remaining few,” he added. For the financial year 2012, till February this year, the PMC has recovered property tax to a tune of Rs 560 crore.