BENGALURU: While the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) is readying itself for the launch of its second venture in developing villa houses, owners of the first project in Alur have already grown disillusioned with their homes. When it was launched two years back, these villas sold like hot cakes due to the aggressive pricing (Rs. 30 lakh to Rs. 50 lakh). Only ten out of 452 villas remained unsold. However, even after registration and sale deed formalities were completed, keys are yet to be handed over as there is no power supply to these houses.
Only 50 families have dared to occupy these villas till date. The BDA has arranged for a temporary power connection but it is not in a position to welcome the other owners to occupy their homes as power supply is scarce, officials say. “The contractor entrusted with providing the connection had taken a temporary feeder line with a capacity of 125 kV but during renewal, this reduced to 20 kV,” a source explained.
According to the contractor, the reason for reduction is because no one was willing to pay the bills. Temporary power supply costs almost double the rates for a regular connection and the contractor had been footing the bills for nearly a year. “It costs his over Rs. 2 lakh monthly,” the source said.
BDA sources however blamed the delay on the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM). “The BDA built a transformer on a self-executing basis as per contract. The BESCOM needs to take a line from a station nearby and provide power, it has been eight months and this simple task is not yet completed,” a source said, adding that the required fee collected from owners was handed over to BESCOM in November last year and meter numbers had been allotted as well.
Another official said that the issue would be sorted out within this month. “By June-end, all the houses will have permanent power supply. We will ensure that the temporary connection is increased to 100 KVA within a week,” he said.