Chhattisgarh municipal corporations launch drive to regularise illegal water connections
Raipur: Municipal corporations across Chhattisgarh have launched a statewide drive to regularise unauthorised water connections by introducing a simplified application process under Section 132(1)(b) of the Chhattisgarh Municipal Corporation Act, 1956. The initiative follows the issuance of a gazette notification by the state government and has come into effect immediately.
According to the new provisions, residential consumers who wish to legalise unauthorised water connections will have to pay a regularisation fee of ₹5,000, in addition to the prescribed charges for obtaining a new water connection. For commercial establishments, the regularisation fee has been fixed at ₹15,000, along with the applicable charges for a new connection.
To complete the process, applicants must submit their requests in the prescribed format issued by the respective municipal corporation and deposit the entire regularisation amount in a single instalment. As part of the application procedure, consumers are also required to link their water connection with their Property Tax ID, enabling municipal bodies to maintain accurate records and improve tax and utility management.
The state government has clarified that water connections provided under the AMRUT Mission and Smart City projects will not be considered illegal. Beneficiaries of these government schemes can apply to have their water connections entered into the municipal demand register, and the registration will be treated as effective from the year in which the connection was originally installed, ensuring that eligible consumers are not penalised.
Officials said the campaign aims to bring all unauthorised water connections into the legal framework, improve revenue collection, and strengthen the management of urban water supply systems across the state.
The regularisation drive is now in force across all municipal corporations in Chhattisgarh. Authorities have warned that strict legal action will be initiated against consumers who fail to regularise their unauthorised water connections during the campaign period.
