Power authorities have proposed a Rs.1,751-crore plan to provide a high voltage distribution system in the 16 rehabilitation colonies here to prevent illegal connections and power theft as well as to boost revenue.
The scheme has been tested and found successful, electricity department officials said.
"The scheme will be implemented next in a rehabilitation colony in Sector 25. This will prevent loss of revenue," Chandigarh's power department's chief engineer Surinder Pal said.
The loss is estimated at 3-5 percent of the department's annual revenue.
Chandigarh, with a population of 1.1 million, has over 300,000 immigrants, most of them residing in illegal slum colonies but rehabilitated in built-up flats. There are nearly 25,000 rehabilitation dwelling units here.