Bescom Reports Drop in New Connections Post SC Occupancy Certificate Rule

Quick Summary:

• Only 22,000 smart meters have been installed this year by electricity consumers under Bescom, marking a steep decline in new connections compared to previous averages (~4 lakh per year).
• Installation delays are linked to requirements of occupancy certificates (OC) mandated by a Supreme Court order for utility access, leaving many applications pending.
• Of the installed smart meters, 15,000 are in Bengaluru and 7,000 elsewhere in Karnataka.
• Smart meters feature prepaid usage tracking and two-way communication capabilities for detailed consumption monitoring; KERC mandates them for temporary and new connections.
• progress remains slow with officials estimating it may take years to reach significant household coverage (3 lakh users anticipated earlier this year).
• Complaints include the absence of promised functionalities like mobile apps, although some users appreciate the openness provided by smart meters.
• Resident welfare groups highlight OC requirements as encouraging compliance and reducing unauthorized commercial use of properties.

Indian Opinion Analysis:

The sharp decline in new electricity connections reflects systemic bottlenecks caused by regulatory hurdles such as occupancy certificate mandates.While ensuring legality and curbing property violations is commendable from an urban governance standpoint, it risks creating logistical barriers that affect essential service delivery. Slow implementation of smart meter technology may delay broader consumer adoption owing to administrative challenges despite its potential benefits for load management and transparency.

Looking ahead, achieving smoother integration between regulatory compliance (OC procurement), utility provision timelines (electricity connection approvals), and technological deployment is vital to avoid customer inconvenience while fostering decarbonized infrastructure goals. Such interdependent reform requires coordinated action from Bescom, developers lobbying compliance reforms meaningfully ,as well scaling eventualy start user benefits fully realized..Read More