Flats to get direct power connections

NOIDA: The Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPERC) has announced that it will allow flat owners to get individual, direct connections from the power department. Adressing a public hearing at Indira Gandhi Kala Kendra on Friday, UPERC chairman S K Agarwal said the current year tariff order will include this directive, and the necessary guidelines will soon be issued. "The process will start in 3-4 months," Agarwal said.

PVVNL officers will visit societies from where requests have come for individual connections, and will check load requirements.

The UPERC chairman assured there would be no exploitation of consumers by builders. "We have issued warrants to erring builders, and will take all points into consideration," said Agarwal.

Objecting to the commission's proposed tariff hike, residents of group housing societies in Noida raised concerns of surcharge already levied to them by builders in the name of maintenance charges, as well as excess power tariff for power backup facilities provided to them.

Currently, flat owners pay Rs 6.23 per unit, whereas the proposed 11% hike will increase the cost to Rs 6.90 per unit. Meanwhile, the tariff for individual household/bungalows will be hiked by 9%.

Sachin Goyal, president of JM Orchid Apartment Owners Association, Sector 76, said: "Flat owners of housing societies already pay a hefty tariff due to power backup assigned to them, in addition to hidden charges. If the proposed hike is implemented, the charges will exceed justifiable grounds."

Flat owners also raised objections on issues like levying of 5% transmission loss charge, clubbing of society maintenance charge with electricity meter, levying of excess charges for fixed load and vending charges.