A civic authority in the national capital stated on Monday that the proposed implementation of a new property tax assessment system could significantly reduce the tax burden for property owners. According to officials, the revised method may lower property tax by approximately 30 to 50 percent, with the greatest relief expected for older and self-occupied properties. This proposed change forms part of a broader set of legislative amendments introduced recently in Parliament. The bill seeks to modify provisions of an existing municipal law governing property taxation and administration in the capital. The objective of these amendments is to simplify compliance, reduce disputes, and create a more transparent taxation framework. Explaining the advantages of the new assessment system, a senior official of the civic body said that the revised method takes into account several additional factors that were either absent or inadequately reflected in the earlier system. One key feature is the age factor, which provides tax relief to older buildings by recognizing depreciation over time. As a result, owners of long-standing properties are expected to benefit substantially. Another major feature is the bifurcation of property usage, which allows different portions of the same property to be assessed separately. For example, commercial and storage areas within a single building can be taxed individually based on their specific use, rather than applying a uniform rate to the entire premises. This approach is expected to result in fairer assessments and reduce grievances among taxpayers. The system also introduces self-assessment and online payment mechanisms, enabling property owners to calculate and pay their taxes digitally. Officials believe this will make the process simpler, reduce human intervention, improve transparency, and minimize conflicts between taxpayers and authorities. Addressing concerns raised by business owners, the official acknowledged that most traders in major commercial areas are already compliant with various tax obligations. Many of them regularly pay indirect and direct taxes and operate within the formal economy. Despite this, they often feel unfairly treated during inspections and assessments, which has contributed to mistrust between taxpayers and enforcement officials. The new system is expected to address these concerns by reducing discretionary powers and encouraging voluntary compliance. In terms of revenue, the civic body reported that it collected over Rs 1,000 crore in property tax during the previous financial year. With the proposed reforms and improved compliance mechanisms, officials expect collections to increase significantly, potentially reaching around Rs 1,350 crore in the current year. Overall, the proposed amendments aim to balance taxpayer relief with revenue growth, ensuring that property taxation is more equitable, efficient, and transparent while fostering trust between citizens and municipal authorities.