BENGALURU
The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) will waive Rs 299 crore in interest and penalties under a 90-day One-Time Settlement (OTS) scheme, aimed at clearing long-pending Cauvery water bill arrears.
More than 6.2 lakh Cauvery water consumers in Bengaluru are expected to benefit. The scheme covers around 5.3 lakh residential connections, 48,000 commercial establishments, and several state and central government offices with accumulated arrears. BWSSB data shows that total dues from these consumers stand at Rs 833.1 crore, of which the board aims to recover Rs 534.1 crore as the principal through the settlement.
The state cabinet has approved the OTS, modelled on the property tax arrears settlement under the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA). Officials said the initiative will ease the financial burden on consumers while boosting revenue recovery for the water board.
Currently, Bengaluru has around 15–16 lakh Cauvery water connections, with over 6.2 lakh accounts having pending dues, some dating back several years. BWSSB expects the waiver of interest and penalties to encourage timely payments during the scheme period.
The OTS will be launched shortly by Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and will remain active for 90 days from its launch. Consumers will need to pay only the principal amount to settle their arrears.
BWSSB officials have urged all eligible consumers to take advantage of the scheme to regularise their connections and avoid future penalties.
