Kolkata Launches Single-Window Search System for Property Arrears Info

Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) on 24th July announced the launch of a facility to obtain encumbrance certificate against specific premises or assessee numbers to help prospective buyers and investors know if there are any dues against the address in KMC record bo

BY Realty Plus
Published - Wednesday, 28 Jul, 2021

Kolkata Launches Single-Window Search System for Property Arrears Info

Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) on 24th July announced the launch of a facility to obtain encumbrance certificate against specific premises or assessee numbers to help prospective buyers and investors know if there are any dues against the address in KMC record books. Though this facility was available earlier as well, the person conducting the search had to visit different departments to collect the information. KMC on 24th July admitted the earlier process was cumbersome and that the new facility would considerably ease transactions in properties. The KMC said, "A feedback was sought from several civic departments, such as survey, assessment, building, water supply and sewerage and drainage, before launch of the facility. The data from these departments was essential before we could officially launch the facility and offer it to the public." Municipal commissioner Binod Kumar said, "The facility would lead to ease of doing business in the city. We want to ensure that no citizen is unnecessarily harassed. Helping citizens obtain encumbrance certificates without hassle is the essence of this civic scheme." Queries can be made on unpaid property tax amount with break, unpaid tax on account of water supply and drainage, pending case in the tribunal and pending licence fee amount. At present, a prospective buyer of a house or a developer intending to buy a property has to conduct searches in various KMC departments, including property tax, water and sewage to know the outstanding amounts. It usually takes at least a week to 10 days to get the search results from each department. Arrears are required to be cleared before a building plan can be submitted for sanction. Realtors also said it would particularly help individual buyers of properties as they would otherwise not know which departments to approach and who to pursue to get the requisite information.