Gurugram: Developer settles power infrastructure dues, discom to refund Ardee City residents

GURGAON: Residents of Ardee City were the first in the state to pay ‘development charges’ to the tune of Rs 7.78 crore to DHBVN for a permanent power connection in the Sector 52 township due to the developer’s failure to build the required electrical infrastructure.

But with the developer now having paid the same and deposited the bank guarantee, the power discom has decided to refund the money to the residents.

However, as DHBVN cannot refund in cash, the power discom has decided to add the amount collected from the residents as ‘development charges’ to their respective electricity account as advance payment so as to adjust the money against future power bills.

Chaitali Mandotra, a resident of Ardee City, said that it all began in May 2018 when they got frustrated with 7-8 hours of daily outages due to the failure of the developer in building the required electrical infrastructure. “What followed was a series of street protests against the developer, who had taken a power connection of just 4 MW against the required load of 13 MW for the society with 2,600 families.”

After several rounds of protests and discussions, DHBVN conducted a survey and prepared a report of an inadequacy of Rs 7.78 crore.

Praveen Yadav, RWA president of Ardee City, said, “DHBVN had put a condition that they would take over the colony only after the completion of the required electrical infrastructure. We agreed to pay the amount collectively on the assurance that we will get a refund as and when DHBVN would recover the same from the developer. Each family had to pay Rs 27,000 and DHBVN collected it in 10 EMIs added to electricity bills.”

The RWA subsequently made an application for migration from single-point connection to multiple-point connections and from June 2018, the residents started getting individual connections. In September 2018, DHBVN started the process of the colony’s takeover — this was the first private developer colony in Gurgaon to be taken over by DHBVN. And from mid-2019, DHBVN started collecting development charges in installments with each bill.

In the meantime, DHBVN stopped issuing any new connection to the developer of Ardee City and the power connection for Ardee City Mall was put on hold. By the end of 2021, the developer deposited the required bank guarantee and provided land to DHBVN for the construction of a 33KV sub-station.

On the other hand, the residents started putting pressure on the discom for refunds and in May 2022, a petition was filed before the consumer grievance redressal forum of DHBVN.

“Now, finally we have been informed that DHBVN has approved a refund and our money will be adjusted against future electricity bills,” said Chaitali.

When contacted, executive engineer of DHBVN, Kuldeep Nehra, said that as per applicable load, Ardee City Infrastructure Ltd was liable to construct the 33KV substation in the area to cater to the power requirements.

“Now the developer has provided the bank guarantee and the required land for constructing the 33 kV substation, which has been approved,” he said.

“Refund has been approved and the amount collected from the residents will be added to the individual electricity account and they will get a negative figure bill from next month,” Nehra added.