S Lalitha By Express News Service BENGALURU: Owners of Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) flats in Gunjur were in for a rude shock on Wednesday when the contractor asked them to pay up a flat electricity bill for each month. Some were asked to pay up for the past seven months at one go, or face the prospect of power disconnection. Flat owners are irate as there is no permanent electricity connection, and they have been provided only a temporary connection by BDA. The area, 3km from Varthur, has 560 1BHK, 168 2BHK and 84 3BHK houses, allotted to the owners in 2012, with the handover supposed to be completed by 2014. Five years down the line, only around 60 families have occupied their new homes due to the absence of lifts, compound wall, drinking water, permanent electricity connection, besides construction debris scattered all over. The 1BHK homes are spread over 20 blocks, with seven floors in each block, making lifts a necessity. Owners of 1BHK have been asked to pay a bill of Rs 850 a month, those in 2BHK Rs 1,000 and those in 3BHK flats Rs 1,500, with retrospective effect from their date of occupancy. Narayana Shetty, employed in the garment industry, moved into his 2BHK flat with his family in April this year. “I received a slip from the contractor for Rs 1,000 towards electricity,” he told The New Indian Express. “Since the BDA contractor had not completed work, electricity was provided from a temporary connection. We were not charged any bill so far. He told us that BDA was not reimbursing him and we had to pay up.” Ramanand Hegde, who was allotted a 1BHK flat in 2014 under the Economically Weaker Section, was also put off over the electricity bill. “I only use lights and mixer in my house. In the rented house I occupied earlier, my monthly bill was around Rs 150. Why should I pay a flat sum for it when I do not consume that much power?” he says. BT Venkatesh, a software engineer and 3BHK allottee, pointed out that since he moved in seven months ago, he would have to pay Rs 10,500. “We have all been provided temporary power by the contractor, from the connection given to him by BESCOM for construction work. How can we be asked to pay a flat bill without any metering?” Manoj C, a representative of the contractor, Maverick Holdings, confirmed to this reporter that the owners were asked to pay electricity bills. A top official in the Flat Allotment section assured the flat owners that the issues would be redressed soon. “Our electrical wing has called for tenders to install permanent electricity facilities. Lifts will soon be installed, and in four months, all infrastructure will be in place,” he said.

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