Provision made for online and offline payment; Teams investigating software problems, says Commissioner

Mysore/Mysuru: A section of property owners in the city has been encountering difficulties while attempting to pay taxes for their sites, buildings, commercial complexes, or houses online due to issues with the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) online property tax payment site.

However, the offline payment process at all nine Zonal Offices of the MCC has been running smoothly, with consumers lining up to pay their taxes. Facilities have been established to accommodate both online and offline tax payments at the Zonal Offices, and MCC staff members at the counters are also issuing tax slips to property owners. These slips enable property owners to conveniently pay their taxes at the nearest banks.

The MCC has ensured the presence of adequate staff at the tax payment counters at Zonal Offices to facilitate payments, even amidst their election duties. Recognizing the significance of Property Tax revenue to its operations, the MCC is committed to maintaining these counters operational to accommodate taxpayers. Leaving the counters empty during payment periods would be detrimental to the MCC.

The online glitches range from inaccurately high property tax amounts displayed to difficulties in inputting mobile numbers and encountering a slow and unresponsive website. Some users reported that the site failed to open or that the link to the revised tax zone did not appear even after entering the Property ID (PID) number, leading citizens to spend extended periods staring at their desktops and laptops.

Many property owners are striving to pay their taxes before the end of April to take advantage of the five percent rebate. However, they are often forced to make multiple attempts before completing the payment due to the faulty system.

Instances of the web interface being sluggish or displaying page error messages are common. Numerous residents, who spoke to Star of Mysore said that the MCC should rectify systemic errors before urging people to switch to online payments.

Some residents have raised concerns regarding the MCC online payment gateway, noting that it fails to open for many taxpayers due to the marked difference between the old tax rates and the revised tax rates based on the guidance value. This discrepancy has led to difficulties for taxpayers attempting to make online payments through the MCC portal.

Some property taxpayers at the Jayanagar and Sharadadevinagar Zonal Offices have reported that while the server is responsive for a brief period, the page becomes unresponsive during the payment process. This issue forces taxpayers to restart the payment process from the beginning.

We are looking into problems:  MCC Commissioner

Speaking to Star of Mysore this morning, MCC Commissioner Dr. N.N. Madhu acknowledged the complaints of technical glitches in the tax payment portal. “Yes, I admit that issues are there and at the same time, we have dedicated teams comprising software engineers and officers to solve the glitches,” she said.

 “Some residents are experiencing problems, and our technical team is actively investigating these issues,” she stated. Dr. Madhu further added, “We have made provisions for both online and offline payment methods to ensure a smooth process. Additionally, our officers are issuing PID slips so that payments can be made conveniently at the nearest banks.”