TPDDL: Non-payment of dues severely hampering maintenance of street lights

Power discom TPDDL has claimed dues worth Rs 7 crore from NDMC and DSIIDC for the maintenance of around 50,000 street lights in unauthorised areas under its jurisdiction. It has also threatened to stop work if the dues are not paid immediately.

The Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (TPDDL) always strives to give the best of services to its customers, but in this case non-payment of dues is severely hampering the regular maintenance of street lights, Sanjay Banga, CEO, TPDDL said. "In such a scenario, we will not be able to maintain these street lights any further. I appeal to the Delhi government to resolve the issue by directing both NDMC and DSIIDC to release the payment at the earliest," he said.

North MCD commissioner Varsha Joshi, who earlier held the post of principal secretary of Power Department, said she will look into the matter and it will be "sorted out" soon. The discom is following up for the payment of Rs 7 crore dues pertaining to maintenance of 50,000 street lights installed in unauthorized areas in its licensed jurisdiction with the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) and Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC), for last one year, said a TPDDL spokesperson. "Over the past one year, the company has written several letters to both the entities, requesting them for an immediate release of payment, but to no avail," he said.

A senior DSIIDC officer, however, claimed the Corporation had overpaid the discom and was mulling options to get back the extra money. "We are exploring ways to get back the extra amount paid to TPDDL. One option is legal recourse," he said. Both NDMC and DSIIDC have denied the ownership of the street lights, resulting in accumulation of huge arrears, claimed the TPDDL spokesperson.

"Even without the payment of dues, TPDDL is continuously maintaining these 50,000 street lights in order to avoid inconvenience and ensure safety and security of the general public, at the cost of Rs 68 lakh per month," he said. The discom has written to the chief secretary of Delhi Government for an early resolution of the issue and immediate release of the payment, the spokesperson added. 

(With inputs from agencies.)