GURUGRAM: Deputy commissioner Nishant Yadav has directed the additional deputy commissioner and DHBVN to check the progress of ongoing work on a substation in Vatika India Next township in Sector 83 after residents alleged long outages and urged the administration to take immediate steps such as forming a committee to expedite construction of the substation and implement temporary measures to mitigate power cuts until the substation is operational.
Moreover, residents are seeking a probe into the delay and demanding that accountability be fixed.
Expressing frustration and distress due to the persisting outages, locals said that despite eight years of occupancy as well as repeated complaints, the developer has failed to set up the 33kV substation. They are currently relying on an 11kV feeder, which is connected to a substation in Garhi Harsaru — 7km away from the township. This distance leads to frequent power interruptions.
The township, comprising independent floors, highrises and commercial space, is spread across 550 acres in sectors 81, 82, 82A, 83, 84, and 85, and the developer was supposed to provide adequate power infrastructure to cater to the needs of the population, residents said.
Lokesh Yadav, a resident of K block of the society said that they have been bearing the brunt of the negligent attitude of the developer. “On Wednesday, there was no electricity for more than 14 hours. Besides, there is a daily outage of 2-3 hours on an average with frequent tripping, making it extremely difficult for residents, especially senior citizens. We have urged the deputy commissioner to form a committee for expediting the construction of the 33kV substation,” Yadav said.
SL Singla, president, senior citizen federation said, “We are frustrated by the developer’s failure to construct the substation as promised. The delay has left us dealing with frequent power outages, causing hardship for our families. In this heat, it is challenging to live without electricity.”
When contacted, Satish Kumar, executive engineer of DHBVN said that the developer was supposed to construct three substations for the township. “The delay in the construction of the substation was on part of the developer and we have issued several notices as well. It is mandatory for the developer to establish adequate power infrastructure as per the approved plan,” he added.
Meanwhile, a representative of the developer said that the work has already been awarded for the 33kV substation and is currently in progress. “The civil work for the substation is complete. Cable and pipes are at the site already and pipes are being laid. We are committed to all our customers and follow all guidelines as per the regulatory authorities,” said the spokesperson for Vatika Ltd.
