RULES
BESCOM and BWSSB New Connection for a New House in Bengaluru
Documents and order of steps for a new BESCOM power and BWSSB water and sewer connection to your new Bengaluru house, with OC points.
For a new house in Bengaluru you apply separately to BESCOM for power and to BWSSB for water and sewerage. BWSSB's portal lists the building plan, lease-cum-sale deed, khata, a building photo with the owner and, where its rules apply, an occupancy certificate (OC), a rainwater harvesting photo and an STP photo. As of Nov 2026.
What is a new connection? A new connection is a permanent utility supply for a finished house: electricity from BESCOM, and water and sewerage from BWSSB. Each is applied for on its own, with the building plan, ownership papers and, in some cases, an occupancy certificate. Buildryt's liaison team supports the paperwork, but you pay the deposits.
Plan the order of work
Think of utilities in three phases:
- Before construction: plan sanction (see our plan sanction guide). Everything else depends on it.
- During construction: temporary power for the site, and a water source for curing and masonry.
- After construction: permanent power, water and sewerage in your name.
Do not leave phase 3 to the last week. Several documents, such as the building photo and the plan copy, are easier to prepare while the site is photographed stage by stage.
BWSSB: water and sewerage
BWSSB's consumer portal (owc.bwssb.gov.in, "More info" page, read on 2 November 2026) lists these documents for a new connection:
- Building plan
- Lease-cum-sale deed
- Khata
- Photo of the building with the owner
- Occupancy certificate, if applicable as per the Board's rules
- Rainwater harvesting (RWH) photo, if applicable
- Sewage treatment plant (STP) photo, if applicable
The portal page lists no fee amounts, so we do not quote any. Ask BWSSB for a written estimate before you apply. The page says "lease cum sale deed"; if your ownership papers are a plain sale deed, ask BWSSB in writing which document it will accept.
The RWH and STP lines say 'if applicable'. Whether they apply to a small house depends on the Board's rules for your plot, so confirm early. If RWH is needed, it is far cheaper to build the pit and pipes during construction than to retrofit them.
BESCOM: electricity
Temporary power during construction. Site power is normally applied for separately as a temporary supply for the building period. We could not verify BESCOM's current document list, so get the current form and fee from the sub-division office and apply before the site needs power. Use it only for the period you state.
Permanent power. This is where the OC question matters, and it has moved over the last two years. Three points, each with its source:
- In December 2024 the Supreme Court, in Rajendra Kumar Barjatya v. U.P. Avas Evam Vikas Parishad, directed that electricity, water supply and sewerage connections be given to buildings only after a completion or occupation certificate is produced. We read this as quoted in a Telangana High Court order of 31 July 2025, not in the Supreme Court judgment itself.
- A Greater Bengaluru Authority order dated 9 September 2025 exempts residential buildings on plots up to 1,200 sq ft, up to ground plus two floors or stilt plus three, from the OC requirement (see our OC article).
- In June 2026 a state order set a one-time window. As reported by Deccan Herald, June 2026, it covered completed residential buildings on plots up to 2,400 sq ft (with a 20% variation) finished by 31 May 2026, and applications were due before 6 July 2026. Applicants submitted a geo-tagged photograph of the building. Reports differ on the exact date of the order, so we do not state it.
For a house you finish after that cutoff, we could not find a published BESCOM procedure. Ask your sub-division office what it needs from an exempt small house, and get the answer in writing. Rules change; confirm with your architect or the authority.
Stilt floors: a trap
The 1 August 2025 amendment to the zonal regulations (Karnataka Urban Development Department notification UDD 31 MNJ 2022(E)) says the stilt floor shall be used for vehicle parking only. For misuse it allows action including closure, and says BESCOM and BWSSB shall not provide service connections for such buildings. If you plan to turn the stilt into a room, a shop or a rental unit, expect trouble with both utilities.
Worked example: a 30x40 G+1 house
| When | Action | Document or item |
|---|---|---|
| Before work | Plan sanction | Sanctioned plan, khata, ownership deed |
| At start | Temporary power for site | Current BESCOM form and ownership proof |
| At roof casting | Plan RWH, meter and sewer positions | Marks on the drawing; photos |
| Near finish | Apply to BWSSB and BESCOM | Plan, deed, khata, building photo with owner |
| After connection | Check bills are in the owner's name | Meter number, RR number, RWH and STP photos if needed |
Fit the meter box, main switch position and sewer line route into the drawings early. Rework after plastering is messy and costs more.
If a utility asks for a document you do not have, ask them to name the rule or order that requires it, and note the answer with the date and the officer's name.
Who applies and who pays
Settle this in the agreement, not at handover. Utility deposits are paid by the owner to the utility, whoever files the form. On Buildryt packages, buildryt.com says the BESCOM and BWSSB deposits are paid directly by the owner. A builder's liaison team can prepare documents and follow up, but the connection is in your name, so you should be able to see every application number and receipt. Ask for these to be forwarded to you the day they are issued, and keep photos of every meter and pipe connection as they are installed.
Common mistakes
- Using the temporary connection for years. It is meant only for the stated period.
- Building to a plan different from the sanctioned one, then finding the plan copy does not match the building photo.
- Putting a room on the stilt floor.
- Leaving the plumber and electrician out of the early design review.
Keep a utilities folder from day one
Put the sanctioned plan, deed, khata, temporary connection receipts, meter photos and the building photo with the owner in one folder, on paper and on your phone. When a utility asks for a document, you answer in minutes instead of days. Photograph the meter and the sump with the owner standing in front at the time of installation. Stage-wise site photos are also useful if you ever need to show the building was built as sanctioned.
What to ask your builder
- Who applies for the temporary power and water connections, and who pays the deposit?
- Will the plumbing plan include the RWH pit and the sewer connection point from the start?
- At handover, will the permanent applications be filed, or only supported with documents?
- What does the contract say if the utility delays the connection?
Buildryt packages include government liaison assistance for BESCOM and BWSSB connections, but Buildryt does not file statutory approvals itself. To plan the budget, try the cost estimator, compare the packages, or see the Bangalore cost page.
Sources
BWSSB consumer portal, "More info" page (owc.bwssb.gov.in), document list, read 2 Nov 2026; Telangana High Court order in W.P. 22672 of 2025, 31 July 2025, quoting the Supreme Court's December 2024 direction; Greater Bengaluru Authority order dated 9 September 2025 on OC exemption (Kannada PDF on opencity.in); Deccan Herald, June 2026, BESCOM one-time window (as reported); Government of Karnataka, Urban Development Department, notification UDD 31 MNJ 2022(E), 1 August 2025 (stilt floor); buildryt.com packages page, Nov 2026. Checked as of Nov 2026. Rules change; confirm with your architect or the authority.
Frequently asked questions
What documents does BWSSB need for a new water connection?
BWSSB's consumer portal lists the building plan, lease-cum-sale deed, khata and a photo of the building with the owner. It also lists an occupancy certificate, a rainwater harvesting photo and an STP photo where the Board's rules apply. Check the portal for the current list before you apply.
Can I get a permanent BESCOM connection without an OC?
In December 2024 the Supreme Court directed that service connections follow a completion or occupation certificate. Greater Bengaluru then exempted small houses on plots up to 1,200 sq ft from the OC (order dated 9 September 2025). A one-time BESCOM window, as reported by Deccan Herald, closed in July 2026. For a new house, ask BESCOM for its written procedure.
Do I need a separate temporary connection during construction?
Yes, the usual route is a temporary supply for the construction period, applied for separately from the permanent connection. We could not verify BESCOM's current form, so get it and the fee from the sub-division office, and apply before the site needs power.
What happens if I use the stilt floor as a room?
The 1 August 2025 amendment requires the stilt floor to be used only for vehicle parking, up to 3 m high. For misuse, action can include closure, and BESCOM and BWSSB shall not provide service connections to such buildings. Keep the stilt as parking only.
How long does a new BESCOM connection take?
We could not verify an official timeline for a new house, so we do not state one. It depends on your documents, the site and whether any network extension is needed. Ask your sub-division office what to expect, apply early, and keep your documents ready in one folder.
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