UDD approves OTS for pending water bills, likely to start from January first week

The Urban Development Department (UDD) has, on December 23, approved a One Time Settlement (OTS) scheme for pending water bills in Bengaluru.

The State Cabinet had approved a proposal for the same on November 27. The scheme will likely open in the first week of January and the window will be open for three months, V. Ram Prasath Manohar, Chairman, Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), said.

BWSSB has an arrears of ₹701 crore, of which ₹439 crore is the principal and the rest ₹262 crore has accumulated as interest and penalty. Under the OTS scheme, those who clear the outstanding principal amount in a single instalment will have their interest and penalty waived.

“There will be no room for any middlemen. Customers can directly register themselves on the official BWSSB website. Additionally, a dedicated mobile app is being developed for this purpose. Once registered, customers will be intimated about the payment window and the deadline,” Mr. Manohar said.

“The waiver process is automated. As soon as the customer pays the principal amount, the software at the back-end will automatically waive the accumulated interest and penalty charges. Once the software is ready, we will launch the scheme, most likely in the first week of January,” he added.

A similar OTS for pending water bills was implemented in Hyderabad successfully twice, and the BWSSB has adopted a similar scheme, sources said.

The BWSSB has drawn up a proactive approach to reach defaulters. “Special teams from BWSSB will personally visit government buildings and commercial complexes to facilitate the settlement. For residential buildings, local officials will reach out to consumers,” Mr. Manohar said.