The Karnataka government has issued an order extending the exemption from occupancy certificate (OC) requirements for electricity connections to a larger category of residential buildings within the Bengaluru Greater Bangalore Area (GBA) limits. This decision comes days after Chief Minister DK Shivakumar announced plans to relax the norms.
Details of the New Order
Under the revised order, residential buildings constructed on plots measuring up to 2,400 square feet, with an additional permissible deviation of up to 20 percent, will no longer need to obtain an OC from municipal corporations or town planning authorities to secure electricity connections. The exemption applies to residential buildings with ground plus three floors or stilt parking plus four floors within the GBA jurisdiction.
Government's Objective
The government stated that the move aims to ease access to essential services and reduce delays faced by homeowners due to pending OC approvals. This aligns with a directive from the Supreme Court issued a year ago, which called for streamlining such processes.
Impact on Homeowners
Officials estimate that the revised order could benefit more than four lakh residential buildings across Bengaluru. Many of these buildings have been unable to obtain electricity connections due to the absence of occupancy certificates. The exemption is expected to significantly reduce bureaucratic hurdles and provide relief to homeowners.
This policy change is part of broader efforts to simplify urban governance and ensure timely delivery of basic amenities to residents in the rapidly growing city.
