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    Homebuyers may get flats by Diwali as UP government expedites work on multi point meters for high rises

    Synopsis

    According to the developers, they were unable to offer possession of the completed flats for the last two years after the power department had asked them to convert to multi point power connections. The new connections were not feasible as extra cable needed to be laid for it and most of the buildings didn’t have space.

    Homebuyers---GettyGetty Images
    NEW DELHI: More than 15,000 homebuyers in and around Noida might be in for an early Diwali as the Uttar Pradesh government is set to appoint an agency to convert single point power connections to multi point in the city high rises, a problem that was a major hindrance for builders in handing over possession of flats to owners.

    According to the developers, they were unable to offer possession of the completed flats for the last two years after the power department had asked them to convert to multi point power connections.

    The new connections were not feasible as extra cable needed to be laid for it and most of the buildings didn’t have space.

    Additional capital investment also became a hindrance.

    Later, the authorities asked them to install a software which wasn’t functioning properly and delivery of about 7-8 housing societies was stuck due to compatibility problems.

    Unlike independent houses, where there is a separate meter for billing, in Uttar Pradesh high rises there’s a common single point connection for electricity consumption and residents often complain of high billing by the builders.

    In a multi-point connection, every flat has a direct electricity supply from the discoms and home owners are billed directly by the electricity provider instead of the builder as is the case with single point.

    Currently, residents have prepaid meters in the house and money automatically gets deducted by the builder, who pays the electricity bill.

    “There are about 12,000 to 15,000 units in Gautam Buddha Nagar and Ghaziabad stuck due to single and multi-point connection. Out of these, more than 7000 units are awaiting electricity connection and almost equal no of units are preparing to apply for power supply,” said Subodh Goel, Secretary of CREDAI (Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India) Western UP.

    The association has taken up the matter of difficulty while converting the housing societies from single point to multi-point at state level and further delay in overall process.

    The builders claim that Paschimanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited (PVVNL) which is responsible for power distribution in Noida has not been allowing single point connections for the last 2 years.

    On the other hand multi-point connections are also not available due to lack of adequate infrastructure and smart meters.

    “PVVNL lacks proper software and meters which is affecting installation of smart meters as well. Due to which many developers are unable to offer possession in their housing societies,” said Goyal, who has written several letters to the government in this respect.

    According to VN Singh, chief engineer, Noida, in 2018, the order was to allow multipoint connection in the new societies and convert in the existing ones.

    While the order to allow only multipoint connection in upcoming high rises was implemented immediately, the conversion became an onerous task.

    “After several rounds of consultations, a detailed order was issued in August and now the discoms have started the process of appointing an agency, which will collect data from builders and establish a process of billing. There will be a smart meter at individual houses and they can see the power consumption pattern,” Singh told ET.


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