In what could be compared to a last-over slog in cricket, the Greater Chennai Corporation went all out to collect property tax on March 31, in the process engaging all civic officials of all departments in tax collection work.

With this spirited effort, the Corporation managed to collect more than Rs. 585 crore as property tax 2015-16 financial year, which is an improvement over last year, when the civic body collected Rs. 581 crore as property tax from an estimated 11.7 lakh assessees.

In addition to officials of the Revenue Wing, those belonging to the Health, Engineering and Conservancy Wings also collected property tax on the last day of the financial year 2015-16, leading to the ‘record’ of highest collection of property tax on a single day.

Normally, property tax revenue is around Rs. 2 crore per day. The collection increases to Rs. 6 crore by the last week of March.

On March 31, the collection touched Rs.40 crore by 9 p.m. and was expected to cross Rs.45 crore by midnight, sources said. More than 65 per cent of the collection was made by tax collectors.

TACTV (Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV Corporation) counters at 196 places in the city recorded a collection of 15 per cent of the total property tax, covering at least 1.5 lakh residents.

Online payment continued to increase this year, accounting for 10 per cent of the collection and 2 lakh people. A large number of NRIs who own property in the city used such services.

The assessees would be able to pay property tax online without any user charges.

The civic body has commissioned multiple payment gateways for offering such online services. Property tax payment through bank counters reported a decline with just 6,000 assessees using the mode this year.