From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Jan 12: Beware! Buyers and prospective owners of flats in housing complexes and apartments in Karnataka!
The State Government has decided that housing complexes and apartments will not get electricity connections in the State if developers/owners of houses/residential complexes do not get building plans sanctioned and occupancy certificates (OC) from the authorised government agencies concerned.
The new rule would not be applicable for all housing units having dimension up to 8,000 sq ft build up area and building height of 50 ft.
Karnataka’s Energy Minister D K Shivakumar, who met office-bearers of building contractors association in Bengaluru on Monday, later told reporters that the new rule would be implemented in accordance with a circular issued by the Urban Development Department, which applies to housing structures in the entire State.
He said obtaining a building plan sanction and occupancy certificate (OC) from authorised government agencies was mandatory for providing electricity connections for houses/residential complexes.
In Bengaluru, builders of apartments have to obtain building plan sanction and OC from the Bruhat Bangalore MahanagaraPalike/Bangalore Development Authority for power connections.
The Urban Development Department’s circular has instructed the BBMP and BDA not to issue "No Objection Certificate" (NoC) and OC for structures that have violated any of the building by-laws."
The new circular has been issued in the light of the fact that thousands of apartment blocks and houses have obtained water, sewage and power connection in Bengaluru and other cities without getting their plans sanctioned and without obtaining OC.
"We have been forced to tighten the rules as BWSSB is finding it difficult to provide water and sewage connections to unrestricted constructions," Shivakumar said.
Violators have to bear a penalty in the form of a 25 per cent higher tariff cost on the energy consumed, he said.