Residents to pay for Palam Vihar power infra upgrade

In recent times, the DHBVN and the department of town and country planning (DTCP) have come under severe criticism by residents for failing to fix the long-standing problem of inadequate electricity infrastructure in the colony.

The Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) has asked the residents of Palam Vihar to pay ₹150 per month in addition to the total bill amount for the maintenance of electricity infrastructure in the colony.

Residents to pay for Palam Vihar power infra upgrade(Photo by Parveen Kumar/Hindustan Times)

The move comes in the wake of the 48-hour-long power cut three days ago in blocks J and H, after a blast occurred in a 400 KV transformer and its repair took more than 40 hours by the colony’s maintenance agency appointed by the developer of Palam Vihar Ansal API.

In recent times, the DHBVN and the department of town and country planning (DTCP) have come under severe criticism by residents for failing to fix the long-standing problem of inadequate electricity infrastructure in the colony.

According to the residents, poor infrastructure is the major cause of frequent electricity faults during the summer, when power demand spikes up and the transformers get overloaded.

Although the DHBVN installed its own electricity metres and started collecting electricity bills, it never maintained the electricity infrastructure, citing that the colony was managed by the developer. The residents pay monthly maintenance (including electricity) charges to Profac.

On April 24, the colony’s residents’ welfare association (RWA) was dissolved by the district registrar of firms and societies, Gurugram, and an administrator was appointed as the in-charge of the colony till the election of the new governing body of the RWA.

Dr SK Nigam, the administrator appointed for Palam Vihar, said, “This proposal ( ₹150-200/month) has come from the DHBVN as an interim or temporary solution to the problem of electricity supply. DHBVN officials told us that residents should submit an application signed by all the residents agreeing to the proposal. I believe there is no harm in paying an additional charge ₹150 for better electricity distribution. Application signed by residents will be submitted to the DHBVN.”

The residents will pay this amount to the DHBVN per month, along with their monthly power bills for the next two to three months, until the official takeover of the colony by the MCG.

Sanjiv Chopra, the DHBVN chief engineer, said, “This proposal needs the consent of every resident of the colony. I will send the proposal to head office in Chandigarh for approval.”

However, some residents have opposed the proposal calling it illegal. Sunil Yadav, the former RWA president of the colony, said, “The DHBVN cannot charge any additional amount as per its own accord. This is not a fair proposal and some of us have opposed it.”