Bescom joins BBMP to help crackdown on unauthorised constructions

Bengaluru: Bescom will support BBMP's initiative to crack down on unauthorised constructions in the city. On Friday, the electricity supply company issued a circular to its chief and superintendent engineers, directing them to disconnect electricity to such establishments.

In a circular dated April 5, Bescom instructed the chief and superintendent engineers of commercial operations and management to follow the guidelines outlined in a letter sent by BBMP to the managing director of Bescom.

The letter, dated January 1, 2025, referenced a Supreme Court order from December 17, 2024, and outlined specific actions that Bescom needed to take to address the growing issue of unauthorised constructions in the city.

BBMP directed Bescom to verify the 'A' Khata and building map sanctions for under-construction or yet-to-be-constructed properties before providing temporary power connections.

The circular also stated that Bescom should disconnect electricity to buildings that have received notices under Section 248(3) of the BBMP Act 2020.

Furthermore, BBMP instructed Bescom to verify the occupancy/completion certificate of any building or house before providing permanent electricity connections. A separate console will be made available on the online map sanction software to help Bescom verify the authenticity of these certificates.

To ensure the credibility of the certificates issued by BBMP, the Palike informed Bescom that it will provide a dedicated console on the online map sanction software.

Additionally, the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) had directed all ESCOMs to comply with the Supreme Court's instructions from the December 17, 2024, order.

The Supreme Court had ruled that banks and financial institutions cannot approve loans secured against any building without verifying the occupancy certificate. The court also stated that water, electricity, and sewerage connections should only be provided by service providers after the submission of such a certificate.