A musical band to coax people into paying their taxes? This novel method has helped boost tax collections of the Ahmedabad city's municipal corporation.

The band, with its pipes and drums, accompanies Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) inspectors and other officials during tax collection drives.

The Mustufa Band, which has volunteered to take part in the collection drive, attracts curious onlookers as it plays songs before the houses where taxes are due which the officials visit to make their appeals to pay up.

The results are showing. The AMC received Rs.1.2 million in long pending taxes on the very first day of the drive Wednesday.

"It clicked. Within three hours of our campaign, we collected Rs.350,000," said AMC's central zone tax collector Harshad Solanki.

"The band attracts people and we tell them to pay taxes in order to avoid punishment and fine," Solanki told.

If a person doesn't pay taxes despite many reminders, the corporation disconnects the water supply and drain connection. Lately it has started sealing property.

The corporation has sealed 60 properties since Wednesday.

"We would like to continue this for a month and see how it works," said Vijay Thakkar, assistant manager, AMC.

While AMC is benefiting from its association with Mustufa Band, the band is getting free publicity.

The bandmaster agreed to AMC's proposal to accompany the tax inspectors keeping in mind the current month-long lean phase in the marriage season due to the 'kamurta' (inauspicious time for Hindu ceremonies).

According to Solanki, the central zone of AMC - which has five zones - has 279,000 properties liable for tax. AMC collected Rs.1.8 billion from all five zones in 2004-05.

"This year we have set a target of collecting property tax up to Rs.2 billion," he said.