For a long time, the flat owners have been demanding transparency in the process of applying for an electricity connection as well as payment of bills.
Before the Lok Sabha elections in 2019, the Uttar Pradesh government gave major relief to flat owners living in Ghaziabad, Noida and Greater Noida. Now, single point power connection will be given to the flat owners. The government has issued the guidelines for the same.
In July, the state government allowed individual power connections to those living in flats and multi-storeyed buildings. More than 2 lakh people in Ghaziabad, Noida and Greater Noida will get relief.
The guidelines mentioned that the new flat buyers will immediately get the single point power connections and those residents who are already living in the society will be required to convert their connection into single point power connection before March 31, 2019.
For a long time, the flat owners have been demanding transparency in the process of applying for an electricity connection as well as payment of bills.
Presently, the builder takes the electricity connection for the apartments under the developer’s name. Then, supplies the electricity to the individual ones and impose hefty tariffs.
Amit Kumar, a resident of Prateek Wisteria in Sector-77 told City Spidey that PVVNL charges Rs 4.95 per unit plus electricity surcharge plus 5 per cent transmission charge, which comes down to around Rs 5.60 per unit.
“But, the builder charges Rs 6.23 per unit to the residents. Even, the builder did not provide the detail of 5 per cent transmission charges which is a violation of the PVVNL and UPPCL,” said Kumar.
“As per the PVVNL and UPPCL rules, the builder needs to provide the details of the amount collected from residents and bill paid to PVVNL every 6 months but the developer did nothing. The sanctioned load for the society is 7000 KVA (Kilo Volt Ampere) but till now the builder has taken the load of around 4500-5000 KVA,” said Kumar.
“The builder is imposing a fixed charge of Rs 92 per KW for a minimum of 4KW for the flat size of 955 sqft, 1135 sqft and 1385 sqft and 7KW from 1560 sqft and bigger sized flats,” he added.
But, after the single point power connection, this loot will stop and residents will pay the rates decided by the government.
On the other hand, old residents, who are already living in the society, need to take a new connection from the electricity department. The government gives the new power connection for the residential sector at Rs 8500.
But, still, even the electricity departments don’t know about the charge. An official in the electricity department said, “We have to calculate the distance for putting the wire according to the floor of the flat.
“We take Rs 5000 for meter charge and some security money for the meter. If we estimate the calculations then it will reach more than Rs 12,000,” the official added.
Alok Kumar, president of Ghaziabad Federation AOA told City Spidey, “This brings relief for them who are not living in the society yet because builder will arrange the single point power connection. But, for the residents who have already shifted in the society, there is no amendment.”
“The residents have to pay again to take the single point power connection from the electricity department. It is unfair to the residents who have already paid for the electricity connection,” Kumar added.
He also said that there are 1000 families who are living in his society and around 250 families want the single point connection. He added that they are forcing the AOA and federation to give the new single point connection as they have already paid for electricity connection and maintenance charge.
“So, the federation will give a letter and meet the Ghaziabad district administration soon over the issue,” Kumar added.
In every flat, two meters will be installed - one by the electricity department and the other by the builder. Electricity department meter will read only the supply given by them and builder meter will read for CAM charges and backup charges.
