News: 16 builders fail to pay Rs 317 crore dues, discom stops new power connections-10-09-2021
GURUGRAM: The Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitaran Nigam (DHBVN) has stopped issuing new electricity connections to property owners in colonies developed by 16 builders as they are yet to pay the discom infrastructure charges amounting to over Rs 317 crore. Two groups of homebuyers recently approached the chief minister’s office and the Prime Minister’s office (PMO) over the matter.
TOI had in April this year had reported that residents living in these colonies are facing power woes as these developers have failed to clear dues for creating infrastructure required for uninterrupted electricity supply. Around 40,000 people live in these areas. According to DHBVN officials, the developers of these residential colonies have failed to set up around 20 substations for power supply.
“Thousands of families who have bought or constructed houses in these areas are not even getting temporary connections despite having paid all dues to the government agencies,” Ramesh Singla, the president of Gurugram home developers and plot owners’ association, which wrote to the CM’s office over the matter last week, said. “We have met officials from DHBVN and the district administration and written to the CM’s office as well, but no action has been taken so far,” he added.
Giriraj Gupta, a member of Vatika City RWA, said, “We wrote to the PMO last week and hope to see some action in favour of residents soon.”
As per the plan, several builders were supposed to provide land and make payments to DHBVN for the construction of 18 substations of 33kVA, as well as two substations of 6kVA. While Unitech and Ansal API have to ensure the establishment of four substations each, Vipul and Ansal Buildwell have to develop two each, while Suncity, Vatika, Malibu Towne, Ardee City, Uppal Southend, Parsvnath, Sheetal and Saraswati Kunj have to build one substation each. Meanwhile, Raheja, JMD, Parsvnath and BPTP need to pay DHBVN over Rs 12 crore for setting up other power-related infrastructure in their colonies.
DHBVN managing director PC Meena told TOI that the department has directed the builders to deposit the dues, failing which penal action will be taken against them.
“Their land and projects will be attached and no-objection certificates will not be issued till the dues are recovered,” he said.
