BackLAW
PVVNL directive bans power disconnections over maintenance dues in Noida/Greater Noida; prepaid meters restricted
PVVNL issued a directive directing AOAs and RWAs in Noida and Greater Noida not to deduct maintenance charges from prepaid meters or disconnect power over such dues. The order clarifies disconnection is only for non-payment of electricity dues and that maintenance charges must not be linked to electricity charges, with a push to establish separate collection mechanisms.
Why It Matters
The directive sets regulatory boundaries on how housing societies can recover maintenance charges, aiming to prevent arbitrary disconnections and protect residents' access to electricity.
Timeline
2 Events
HT reports on PVVNL directive; residents react and questions remain on SOPs
May 8, 2026
An HT report on May 8, 2026 describes the directive and cites residents’ relief at the clarified rules. The article notes that most societies already have separate billing, but some still deduct maintenance dues via prepaid meters, leading to power cuts two to three times a month. It quotes an official that prepaid balances are for electricity use and essential services, and that strict action will be taken for non-compliance under the Electricity Act. It also records calls for a comprehensive SOP to manage common-area maintenance collection under multipoint systems and mentions ongoing questions about multipoint billing.
PVVNL issues directive banning disconnection over maintenance dues and linking charges
May 7, 2026
PVVNL directed apartment owners’ associations and resident welfare associations in Noida and Greater Noida to refrain from deducting maintenance charges from prepaid electricity meters or disconnecting power supply over such dues, citing UPERC Supply Code 2023–24. The directive, signed off by Mohit Goyal, executive engineer of the electricity urban distribution division-V, Sector 16A, states that disconnection is only allowed for non-payment of electricity dues and that electricity charges and common-area maintenance charges must not be linked. Prepaid meter balances may be used only for electricity consumption and essential services such as lifts, water pumps, and street-lighting. AOAs are instructed to establish separate mechanisms for collecting maintenance charges through bank transfers, cheques, or other modes. Officials say the move is part of a broader crackdown on irregular practices in high-density housing societies, and non-compliance could attract penal action under the Electricity Act.