The society, which does not have an electricity connection and has been running only on diesel gensets since 2017, will now suffer two hours of power cuts daily and operate just one lift in each tower to cut down on the prohibitively high fuel bills.
Since proceedings began in the bankruptcy court last year, an RP has taken control of the project from Logix. The RP, Atul Mittal, recently issued a notice hiking the power tariff by almost three times the existing rate of Rs 6.7 per unit. The rate was the same as the discom tariff.
The absence of a regular electricity connection will prove to be a greater shock for the residents now as the discom has recently hiked its original rates.
But it’s not just the tariff alone. Mittal has proposed a number of changes to cut down on diesel costs, which, he said, were proving too expensive.
“A two-hour power cut per day would be implemented with immediate effect. To conserve the consumption of power in the common area, only one lift would operate in each tower at any given time. Any deficit of funds in the procurement of diesel going forward would result in increased hours of power cuts. The tariff would be revised for the subsequent months, to enable reduced hours of power cuts. The common maintenance charges would be due at the rate notified at the beginning of each month and residents are required to pay the monthly maintenance charges as advised,” read Mittal’s notice to the residents.
According to the new rates, residents will be charged Rs 7.5 for each unit for the first 200 units a month. For the next 800 units consumed, the flat owners would have to shell out Rs 12 per unit. The remaining units will incur a charge of Rs 19.
These apart, each flat owner has to pay a fixed charge of Rs 700 a month. Post-paid meters will be replaced with prepaid devices so that the residents pay upfront. Even the cost of the meters and their installation would initially be borne by the residents in installments for two months.
To reduce the load on the DG sets, each flat will be allowed to consume a maximum of 3.5kWh for the summer months, whatever be its size.
The residents alleged when they were handed possession of their flats, they were guaranteed electricity, but its source was never clarified.
“Living in this society is proving to be difficult with each passing day. As of now, the daily consumption of diesel is 2,500 litres. But in May-June, it is bound to shoot up to 4,000-4,500 litres per day,” said Anand Tyagi, a resident.
Pankaj Singh, another flat owner, said, “We now pay around Rs 5,000. But it will soon touch almost Rs 15,000. Until now, we were being charged Rs 6.7/unit, which is the discom’s rate. Not anymore.”
There is, however, light at the end of the tunnel.
Supply from the power grid is likely to reach the society in the next 4-5 months. Mittal has recently floated a tender for laying a 33kV underground cable from the PVVNL sub-station in Bhangel. Around Rs 11 crore is estimated to be spent on laying the cables and installing multi-point connections.
Last week, Mittal had issued another notice, announcing different power tariffs for flat owners and tenants. The order was later cancelled.