Over 1,500 Bounced Cheques Leave PMC Chasing ₹14 Crore In Property Tax

This isn’t just about numbers. This is about a city being taken for a ride.

More than 1,500 people in Pune handed over cheques to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to pay their property taxes. But guess what? Those cheques bounced. Yes, bounced — like a bad promise. And the total amount that PMC is now chasing? A whopping ₹14 crore.

We all know paying property tax isn’t exactly something we look forward to. But it keeps our roads working (most of the time), helps fund water supply, garbage collection, and other basic services. So when people try to be clever by issuing cheques they know won’t clear, it’s not just the PMC that suffers – we all do.

What’s Happening Here?

According to PMC officials, some people are using this as a tactic. They pay their property tax bill with a cheque, and once they get the receipt, they think they’re in the clear. But the cheque is basically worthless. It’s like buying a movie ticket with Monopoly money.

So far, the civic body has identified over 1,500 such cheque bounce cases. This isn’t a one-off error. This is a pattern.

Why Should You and I Care?

Because this impacts the city we live in.

When ₹14 crore goes missing from PMC’s expected revenue, services can get affected. Less money = fewer resources. Plus, it’s just unfair. While the rest of us pay our dues honestly (even if we grumble about it), some people are gaming the system.

And guess what? If PMC doesn’t act, more people will think this is a clever loophole.

What’s PMC Doing Now?

They’re planning legal action. Under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, a bounced cheque is not just an inconvenience — it’s a punishable offence. The civic body is also working on digitising transactions and tightening cheque-verification protocols.

But here’s the real question: Should PMC even be accepting cheques in this day and age? With UPI, net banking, debit cards, and so many online modes, isn’t it time to ditch the cheque book altogether?

Final Thought

This isn’t just a financial issue. It’s a moral one.

Every person who cheats the system makes it harder for the rest of us. And if PMC doesn’t chase this down hard, it sets a terrible example.

So if you’ve paid your taxes the right way — good on you. If you haven’t, maybe it’s time to stop pretending and start contributing. Because this is our city. And we can’t let it get scammed from the inside.

Written for the people who care about how Pune is run. If this made you think, maybe share it so others can know too.