Delhi government allows electricity connection without NOC in illegal colonies

Delhi Chief Minister Atishi on Wednesday announced that from now all 1,731 illegal colonies in the national capital will not require a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for an electricity connection.

CM Atishi claimed the Kejriwal government has brought development in these illegal colonies providing them with proper drainage systems, road construction and water pipelines.

“However, since last year, people living here were facing problem in getting electricity connection due to BJP’s Delhi Development Authority (DDA). The authorities have issued an order that residents of 1,731 raw colonies will not get electricity connection without DDA’s NOC.” she said.

The order was released in June 2023 wherein no new connections were allowed within the development areas of 105 urbanised villages in the land pooling areas.

“Now, the AAP government in Delhi has decided that people living in these 1,731 crude colonies will not need any kind of NOC for electricity connection and meter. Orders have been given to the DISCOM in this regard,” the CM added.

She said that due to this people were wandering from door-to-door and unable to get the connection.

“The one who was bribing DDA officials used to get the connection. Now, Delhi government has given orders to DISCOM that now no NOC will be required for electricity connection,” she continued.

Atishi further said that several residents from these illegal colonies had complained to her regarding the electricity connection.

Meanwhile, earlier this month, the DDA had authorised power DISCOMs to provide new electricity connections to residents in four categories of land pooling areas, including urbanised villages and colonies under the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). This decision was followed after requests from Delhi MPs, MLAs, and Resident Welfare Associations to Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena after many residents lacked electricity due to their areas being classified as land pooling.

The DDA’s directive had allowed connections on lands with previously issued NoC or approved development plans. The four categories included MCD-regularised colonies, land allotted to landless persons, non-conforming industrial areas, and government land where DDA has granted rights.

DISCOMs were then allowed to process new connections following their existing protocols without needing additional references to the DDA.