Over 3,700 defaulters have availed benefit of property tax settlement scheme by the north corporation, offering immunity from penalty and waiver of interest, with the civic body having collected tax of Rs 10 crore so far, officials said.

The scheme, announced recently by the municipal body, will continue till November 30 this year.

"Property owners are showing a great interest in the scheme so far," chairman of the Property Tax Committee of North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) Rajesh Bhatia said.

"About 600 property owners have benefited from this scheme in ex-parte assessment under old rateable value system, 300 in rateable value already determined on merit, 2,500 in unit area method and 300 in discount cheque dispute category," Bhatia said.

There is a full rebate from interest and penalty on pending property tax, which will be reduced to 75 per cent till October 17, and 50 per cent till November 17, NDMC said.

"There are about 10 lakh properties in our jurisdiction in North Delhi and the number of defaulters availing the scheme is likely to rise further. Under the rateable value, we are giving October 31 as the last date to entertain request from defaulters," NDMC Public Relations Officer Yogendra Singh Mann told PTI.

Bhatia also appealed to defaulters to avail the benefit of the scheme and settle their property tax dispute cases as the date of this scheme is not likely to be extended. Besides, no such other scheme will be brought in future, he said.

Some complaints had been received from tax payers that tax through cash was not being accepted after 3 PM. For the benefit of tax payers, all the zonal offices have been directed to accept tax through cash up to 5 PM, he said.