The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP),  Bengaluru’s civic body, has issued electronic demand notices to nearly 2.76 lakh property owners for defaulting on tax payments, with dues totalling close to ₹787 crore.

The crackdown, aimed at plugging revenue leaks, comes as Mahadevapura, South, and East zones top the list of defaulters, even as BBMP warns of strict recovery measures including property attachment and asset sales.

According to data from BBMP, the Mahadevapura zone tops the list with 65,040 defaulters, owing nearly ₹1,979 crore. It is followed by South Bengaluru with dues of ₹1,168 crore from 25,162 properties, and the East zone, where 37,574 properties account for ₹1,153 crore in unpaid taxes.

The notices have been issued electronically, and defaulters are required to clear their dues online at bbmptax.karnataka.gov.in, BBMP special commissioner (revenue), Munish Moudgil said. “If payments are not made, BBMP will initiate recovery measures such as attachment of properties and distress sale of movable and immovable assets.”

Property owners have also been given the option to appeal online with valid reasons for non-payment through BBMPeNyaya.karnataka.gov.in.

Officials noted that property tax is the civic body’s single largest revenue source, and delays in payments directly affect BBMP’s ability to fund roads, waste management, and other civic services. With Bengaluru’s infrastructure under pressure, the BBMP has intensified its recovery drive to plug revenue leaks and improve compliance.

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has identified 2,75,942 properties that have defaulted on property tax payments, with total dues adding up to nearly ₹786.86 crore, according to data shared by BBMP.

The data showed that Mahadevapura tops the list with 65,040 defaulters owing around ₹197.9 crore. This is followed by the South zone, with 25,162 properties defaulting on about ₹116.8 crore, and the East zone, with 37,574 defaulters who owe ₹115.3 crore.

The data showed that 45,293 properties in Bommanahalli have unpaid taxes amounting to ₹107.3 crore, while Yelahanka has 28,022 defaulters owing ₹80.6 crore. The West zone reported 25,321 defaulters with dues of about ₹75.3 crore, and Rajarajeshwari Nagar has 38,358 properties owing ₹64.8 crore.

Dasarahalli has the lowest number of defaulters at 11,172 properties, with pending dues of nearly ₹28.8 crore.

Previously, BBMP had said that the 100% penalty on property tax defaults is imposed only after two years of non-payment.

For instance, if the property tax for 2024-25 remains unpaid, the penalty will not apply on April 1, 2025. Instead, a simple interest of 15% will be charged throughout the 2025-26 period. The 100% penalty will only come into effect if the tax remains unpaid beyond April 1, 2026.

BBMP data also showed that around 2.5 lakh property owners have historically never paid their taxes, even after several years of default.