The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) will roll out an automatic update system for property tax records starting August 1. This citizen-friendly reform will allow seamless transfer of property tax ownership for all newly registered properties that already have GVMC tax assessments.
Under the new system, once a property transaction is registered at a sub-registrar office, the new owner’s name will be automatically updated in GVMC’s property tax database. This eliminates the need for manual applications or in-person visits to GVMC offices for name transfers.
GVMC Additional Commissioner DV Ramana Murty stated that the initiative aims to simplify the post-registration process for property buyers. “The state government’s reform integrates the registration and municipal tax departments, saving time and effort for citizens,” he said. Buyers will now pay the applicable mutation charges directly at the sub-registrar office, making the process more efficient.
The system is applicable to land, buildings, and apartments within GVMC limits that are already assessed under the municipal property tax. After payment of mutation charges at the time of registration, the updated ownership will be reflected in GVMC’s records in near real time.
According to S Srinivasa Rao, GVMC Deputy Commissioner (Revenue), this automatic system will remove one of the major post-sale hurdles property buyers usually face. “Instead of submitting physical documents or waiting in queues, the system will handle ownership changes automatically, making it much more convenient,” he explained.
G Balakrishna, DIG of Registration and Stamps, emphasised the need for public awareness. He urged sub-registrar staff and GVMC officials to proactively educate citizens visiting registration offices about the new system. “Creating awareness is essential to ensure people fully benefit from this digitised process,” he added.
GVMC officials said the new system is part of a broader push by the Andhra Pradesh government to improve transparency and accountability in urban governance. Over time, similar auto-mutation systems are expected to be extended to other municipal corporations across the state.
Residents and real estate professionals have welcomed the reform, saying it would bring predictability and trust to property transactions. “It’s a much-needed move that eliminates uncertainty around name changes in property tax records,” said a local realtor.
Officials are also exploring digital notification features, such as SMS or email alerts, to inform new owners once the auto-mutation is complete. With this rollout, GVMC is among the first urban local bodies in Andhra Pradesh to operationalise automated property tax updates linked directly to property registration.
