High Court orders CESC to shift meters from unsafe building
Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court has directed CESC Limited to shift electricity meters of two consumers from a dilapidated structure to a newly constructed meter room at the same premises, after noting that the old building was unsafe.
Justice Krishna Rao passed the order while allowing a petition filed by a developer redeveloping an amalgamated property at 4, Chandranath Chatterjee Street, Kolkata, where electricity meters were still located inside an old and damaged structure.
The court noted that the property earlier had old one and two-storeyed buildings. Electricity meters of existing consumers were installed inside one such structure, which was found to be in a dilapidated condition. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation had issued a notice declaring the building unsafe.
During redevelopment, the developer constructed a new building and created a permanent meter room. The developer also obtained a permanent electricity connection in its own name and applied to CESC for shifting of the existing meters to the new meter room, stating that power supply to the consumers would not be disrupted and that all costs would be borne by the developer. CESC rejected the request, saying the developer had no authority to seek shifting of meters registered in the names of other consumers.
The court recorded that an earlier order had refused a similar request only because the developer did not then have an electricity connection at the premises. That situation changed after the developer obtained a permanent connection and built a proper meter room.
The court also noted that there was no dispute about the unsafe condition of the old structure. One of the consumers told the court that he had no objection to the meters being shifted, as long as his electricity supply was not affected.
The court accepted the submission that two permanent electricity service lines could not continue in one premises—one connected to an unsafe structure and another to a new building.
Allowing the petition, the court directed CESC to shift the electricity meters of the two consumers from the old structure to the newly constructed meter room within two weeks after completion of necessary formalities by the developer.
The court also ordered that police assistance be provided if there was any obstruction during the shifting process, with the cost to be borne by the developer. It clarified that electricity supply to the existing consumers must not be affected.
