The Punjab and Haryana High Court has brought relief to more than 500 families living in an abandoned housing project in Zirakpur. The court has directed authorities to provide electricity connections to the residents after the apartment owners' association agreed to pay Rs 2.17 crore to the power utility.
Court order on electricity for abandoned Zirakpur project
According to The Tribune, the High Court made it clear that the Sushma Valencia Apartment Owners Association would install the internal low-distribution (LD) system at its own expense. The association will also deposit Rs 2.17 crore with the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL).
The court then directed the electricity distributor and other authorities to take all possible steps to supply electricity to the members of the petitioner association as quickly as possible. The court said this should be done preferably within four weeks from the date the amount is deposited.
Petition filed by residents for power connection
The development came after the association filed a petition seeking directions to authorities to provide electricity connections to more than 500 families living in the project. The association argued that the builder had abandoned the project, leaving residents without basic amenities.
As reported by Verdictum, the High Court was hearing a case where residents sought electricity connections for over 500 families residing in the housing project in Zirakpur.
Court's stance on residents' rights
The High Court made it clear that residents cannot be left without basic amenities. In a similar report, Live Law noted that the court stated residents "can't be left remediless" and ordered temporary power supply to over 500 families in the abandoned housing project.
Our Take: A practical solution for stranded homeowners
This is a sensible and humane order from the High Court. When builders abandon projects, families who have invested their life savings are left without basic services like electricity. In our view, the court has found a practical middle ground — the residents' association is paying for the connection, and the power utility is being directed to act quickly. This approach could serve as a model for other similar cases across the state where homebuyers are stuck in stalled projects. The four-week timeline is also important — it gives residents a clear deadline for when they can expect power.