Noida Power Cut at Mahagun Mywoods Over Rs 72 Lakh Dues, Thousands Affected
Power supply to the Mahagun Mywoods residential complex in Greater Noida West was abruptly disconnected on Monday morning, plunging thousands of residents into darkness and chaos. The drastic action was taken by the Noida Power Company Limited (NPCL) after the developer repeatedly failed to clear outstanding electricity dues amounting to approximately Rs 72 lakh.
Residents Forced to Rely on Diesel Generators
The outage forced the entire complex, comprising 31 towers with around 6,100 flats, to depend entirely on diesel generators. Of these, 4,800 units across 27 towers are currently occupied, housing more than 15,000 residents. With the project still under developer control due to four towers remaining under construction and no apartment owners' association formed, residents bore the brunt of the disruption.
"Residents have to recharge prepaid power meters. Yet, we have to suffer because the builder has not cleared the dues," said Anil Verma, a resident. "Since 9am, home appliances and lifts have been running on gensets. With so many households using electricity at the same time, the load is high, and the MCBs keep tripping. Even lifts and common areas are at risk."
The timing exacerbated the situation, as families were at home during the school holiday period, leading to consistently high electricity usage throughout the day. The reliance on generators not only raised operational costs but also caused frequent disruptions due to overloading.
Billing and Payment Timeline
According to NPCL officials, the billing cycle for the disputed amount began on February 18, when a total bill of Rs 84.33 lakh was generated. The payment deadline was set for February 28, with March 15 earmarked as the disconnection date if the amount remained unpaid.
The developer made partial payments in the days leading up to the deadline, clearing Rs 5 lakh on March 12, Rs 6.5 lakh on March 13, and Rs 1.5 lakh on March 14. This brought the total amount paid to Rs 13 lakh, but more than Rs 71 lakh remained outstanding, prompting NPCL to proceed with the disconnection at 9am on Monday.
Restoration After Partial Payment
Later on Monday, society maintenance officials reported that around Rs 35 lakh was paid by afternoon, followed by an additional Rs 15 lakh by evening, totaling approximately Rs 50 lakh. The remaining amount is expected to be cleared by Tuesday. Following an undertaking by the developer, power supply was restored at 8pm.
NPCL officials explained that the complex operates on a single-point electricity connection, meaning the builder collects power charges from residents and pays the distribution company. This system has led to repeated issues, with the power supply to the society being disconnected three times earlier in recent months—on November 14, November 21, and December 15 last year—over unpaid bills.
Similar Actions by NPCL
This incident is not an isolated case. In February, NPCL cut power to the Himalaya Pride society in Techzone-4 of Greater Noida West over unpaid dues of about Rs 6.5 lakh. These actions highlight ongoing challenges in managing electricity payments in residential complexes under developer control, often leaving residents vulnerable to disruptions despite fulfilling their individual payment obligations.
