Mayor opens online payment system for markets, grounds and halls | Mangaluru

Mangaluru: The Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) initiated a digital payment system on Thursday for collecting rent from tenants occupying its properties. The online facility covers shops in commercial complexes, market areas, function venues and open spaces under MCC ownership.
The MCC owns 1,070 shops in 39 markets, Kudmul Ranga Rao Town Hall, Dr BR Ambedkar Bhavan, open grounds at Urwa, Kadri, Emmekere, Jeppu, Kavoor, and the Nehru Maidan, from which the MCC gets an annual revenue of Rs 3.2 crore. From now on, tenants can make online rent payments through www.mccportal.in, eliminating the need to physically visit the MCC office. This new digital system enables shopowners in the markets to conveniently settle their rental dues through the web portal.
Mayor Manoj Kumar, launched the new online payment system at the MCC office. Whilst citizens can now settle their rent payments digitally, the booking of open grounds and function halls remains an in-person process. He clarified that residents must visit the MCC office, where staff members will handle the online booking on their behalf. The mayor justified this decision by stating that permitting direct online bookings could potentially lead to misuse and deliberate blocking of these facilities.
The mayor said the online payment system was developed by a private firm at a cost of Rs 3.5 lakh. With the online system replacing the manual system, MCC officials said there will be no room for corruption. Like booking an online ticket for a movie, citizens can see if the slot is booked or not, said an official from the revenue section of MCC.
The city corporation has plans to introduce a QR code system to check unauthorised hoardings in the city, and a survey in this regard was launched wherein those who took the hoardings on rent were asked to submit details. MCC earns an annual revenue of Rs 2.5 crore from hoardings, said officials.