Prayagraj Civic Body Simplifies House Tax Payment with QR Code Stickers

The Prayagraj Municipal Corporation has started using QR code stickers on properties to make house and water tax payments easier and faster. This system lets residents pay through their phones and helps officials speed up collections. 

Starting with commercial buildings, the system will be rolled out in phases, eventually covering residential areas. The stickers, which will be attached in a zonal manner, are expected to serve as a practical and immediate way to manage and verify tax payments.

The QR code, printed directly on each bill, acts as a gateway for users to view their property’s tax details and make payments instantly. With this system, property owners can use their smartphones to access the tax portal by simply scanning the code.

The corporation is targeting the early adoption of this system for commercial properties before expanding to the larger base of residential properties. By adopting this approach, the PMC seeks to address challenges it has faced in recent years, particularly delays caused by residents claiming to have initiated online payments without completing them.

These delays have hindered the efficiency of collections and disrupted the overall workflow of municipal staff. With this new approach, tax collectors can conduct door-to-door visits and assist residents in making payments through multiple modes, including both online and offline transactions.

For those preferring traditional methods, cash payments can still be made at the municipal office. The QR code system not only increases flexibility in how payments are made but also offers a level of verification that was previously difficult to achieve.

It ensures real-time visibility into each property’s payment status, enabling field staff to confirm whether taxes have been paid without requiring access to back-office systems or paper records.

One of the key advantages of the system is the consolidation of house tax, water tax, and sewer tax payments. Instead of paying these separately, property owners will now be able to clear all dues in a single step, reducing complexity and saving time.

Additionally, three banks have already partnered with the municipal corporation to support this initiative, ensuring smooth financial integration and facilitating easier payments for users.

Over 177,000 properties have been identified within the municipal limits, with the corporation focusing initially on collecting house tax from more than 55,000 of them. The integration of QR codes into tax bills is a step toward achieving this goal in a timely and efficient manner.

According to PK Dwivedi, Chief Tax Assessment Officer of the Municipal Corporation, the initiative reflects the administration’s commitment to making the tax payment process more transparent, modern, and user-friendly.

By making it easier for residents to fulfill their civic duties, PMC also expects to improve its own revenue collections and reduce the manpower required for follow-up and manual verification. As the stickers are applied across zones and residents begin to engage with the new system, the PMC hopes this initiative will set a benchmark for other cities to follow in digitizing municipal services.