RECDs for Housing Societies: A Purchase Planning Guide for RWAs

In a factory, one person signs the purchase order. In a housing society, the diesel generator belongs to hundreds of flat owners at once, and every rupee spent on it passes through a managing committee, a general body meeting, a treasurer and a very busy residents’ WhatsApp group.

That is why RECD purchases in societies often stall. The engineering is rarely the hard part. The hard parts are agreeing on the route, splitting the cost fairly and choosing a vendor in a way nobody can later question.

When NCR’s deadlines tightened in 2023, The Tribune reported that Faridabad societies were collecting upgrade costs from residents, with one society estimating its conversion bill at about ₹1.5 crore and another asking each flat for ₹5,500 in instalments. Citizen Matters described residents worried about costs, gas availability and outages. Societies that handled it well had one thing in common: they turned a technical purchase into a clear decision paper.

This guide is built as that paper. It follows the order of a general body meeting agenda, with a draft resolution at the end that your committee can adapt.

Short answer: List every DG set and what it feeds, compare the RECD, dual fuel and replacement routes on the same sheet, choose a cost-sharing method before you collect quotes, invite at least three like-for-like bids, and get general body approval for a budget cap so the committee can place the order without calling a second meeting.

A note before you start: bye-laws and apartment ownership laws differ between states and between societies. Use this as a planning framework and check approval thresholds against your own bye-laws.

Agenda Item 1: Why Are We Doing This?

Residents who were not in the committee discussions need the “why” in plain words. Keep it to three points.

Point 1: The rules have changed

In Delhi NCR, CAQM’s Direction No. 76 sets out how existing diesel generators must be upgraded by capacity: dual fuel for sets from 19 kW to 125 kW, a choice between dual fuel and an RECD for sets from 125 kW to 800 kW, and an RECD for sets above 800 kW. Most society sets fall in the middle band. In other states, the pollution control board’s consent conditions decide the requirement.

Point 2: An unfitted set becomes a liability

During GRAP stages, uncontrolled diesel sets face restrictions, and non-compliant sets can be sealed. Show residents our explainers on what happens when a DG set is sealed and on penalties for running a non-compliant generator. A sealed set during a summer outage is far more expensive than the retrofit.

Point 3: Emergency categories cover lifts and pumps, not your air conditioner

In 2023, the emergency services list reported by India Gazette included elevators and water pumping among the categories allowed to use diesel sets during restrictions. That relief was temporary, and it never covered the full flat backup that most societies provide. If residents want their 3 kW or 5 kW backup to keep working in winter, the sets need a compliance route.

Agenda Item 2: What Do We Actually Own?

A surprising number of committees do not have a clean list of their generators. Build one before speaking to any vendor.

The society DG inventory sheet

Set tag	Rating (kVA)	Make and model	Year	Run hours	What it feeds	Condition notes
DG-1	500				Towers A to D flat backup
DG-2	500				Towers E to H flat backup
DG-3	250				Lifts, pumps, common lighting

Fill it from the rating plates and the maintenance agency’s log book. Take clear photos of each plate; our guide to nameplate photos for an RECD enquiry shows which ones vendors need.

Three questions to answer in the “condition notes” column

1. Is the engine healthy? Heavy smoke, oil consumption or frequent repairs will shorten any device’s service life. If a set is due for major work, see whether to overhaul before fitting an RECD.
2. Is the set likely to be replaced within three years? If so, retrofitting it may not be the best use of money.
3. Who maintains it? Note the agency, the contract end date and whether they will cooperate with an RECD vendor.

What the vendor’s site survey should tell the committee

Before bids are final, each shortlisted vendor usually visits the DG yard. Ask every one of them to answer the same five questions in writing, so the committee can compare surveys as well as prices:

1. Where exactly will the device sit on each set, and will any exhaust pipe be cut?
2. Is any new support steel, platform or stack change needed, and is it included in the price?
3. How long will each set be out of service on installation day?
4. What back pressure does the vendor expect after fitting, compared with the engine maker’s limit?
5. What does the society’s maintenance agency need to do differently afterwards?

A vendor who cannot answer these after a site visit is unlikely to manage the installation smoothly.

Agenda Item 3: Which Route Should We Take?

Put all realistic options on one sheet so residents see a comparison, not a sales pitch.

Route comparison for societies

Factor	RECD	Dual fuel kit	Replace with CPCB IV+ set
Upfront cost	Moderate	Moderate, plus gas connection and gas train	Highest
Running cost	Diesel as before, plus device servicing	Lower fuel bill when gas is available	Diesel; newer engines are more efficient
Needs piped gas	No	Yes, with enough pressure and capacity	No
Space needed	Exhaust-side, usually modest	Gas train, piping and safety zones	Full set footprint, possibly larger
Disruption during work	One set at a time, usually short	Longer if gas line work is involved	Longest; crane, civil and cabling work
Suitable for sets above 800 kW in NCR	Yes	Not the Direction 76 route for that band	Yes

Citizen Matters quoted residents’ figures of roughly ₹6 lakh for a dual fuel kit, plus installation, freight and a gas connection, adding up to about ₹22 lakh per unit in their estimate. Your quotes will differ, but it shows why the gas connection must be priced, not assumed.

Read more before the meeting:

• RECD vs dual fuel kit for a side-by-side
• RECD vs a new CPCB IV+ genset for the replacement maths
• RECD cost in India for what drives device prices
• Our dual fuel kit page if piped gas is already in your society

Mixed routes are allowed

Many societies choose different routes for different sets. A common pattern: RECDs on the large flat-backup sets and a dual fuel kit on the smaller common-area set if gas is already on site. Put the mixed option on the sheet too.

Agenda Item 4: Who Pays, and How Much?

This is where most meetings get heated. Decide the method before quotes arrive, so the discussion is about fairness, not about a number people already dislike.

Four ways to split the cost

1. Equal per flat. Simple and easy to collect. Owners of small flats may feel they subsidise large ones.
2. Per square foot of super area. Mirrors how most societies charge maintenance. Generally seen as fair where backup load rises with flat size.
3. Per sanctioned backup load (kW). Fairest where flats have different DG backup entitlements, such as 3 kW for two-bedroom and 6 kW for four-bedroom units. Needs accurate records.
4. Split method. Common-area sets (lifts, pumps, lighting) charged equally per flat; flat-backup sets charged by backup load.

Worked example (illustrative numbers only)

A 480-flat society has two 500 kVA sets for flat backup and one 250 kVA set for common services. Suppose the committee’s total budget, including devices, installation, supports, commissioning and a 10 percent contingency, is ₹40 lakh, of which ₹10 lakh relates to the common-area set. These are placeholders to show the maths, not a price quote.

Equal per flat: ₹40,00,000 ÷ 480 = about ₹8,333 per flat.

Per square foot: total super area of 7,20,000 sq ft gives about ₹5.56 per sq ft. A 1,200 sq ft flat pays about ₹6,670 and a 2,000 sq ft flat about ₹11,100.

Split method: the ₹10 lakh common-area share is split equally (about ₹2,083 per flat). The ₹30 lakh flat-backup share is split by sanctioned backup load. If the society has 300 flats at 3 kW and 180 flats at 5 kW, total backup is 1,800 kW, so each kW costs about ₹1,667. A 3 kW flat pays ₹2,083 + ₹5,000 = ₹7,083; a 5 kW flat pays ₹2,083 + ₹8,333 = ₹10,416.

Show all three in the meeting. Residents accept a number more easily when they can see how it was calculated.

Where the money comes from

• Sinking or corpus fund: check what your bye-laws allow it to be used for
• Special levy: one-time or in two or three instalments, as the Faridabad society in the news did
• Mix of both: part from reserves, the rest as a levy

Also ask whether any state scheme applies; our note on government subsidy for RECD installation explains where to look. Do not build the budget on a subsidy that has not been confirmed in writing.

Is the builder responsible?

In societies where the developer or its maintenance agency has not yet handed over common assets, the obligation may sit with them. Check the handover status and maintenance agreement before collecting money from residents. If in doubt, take advice from someone qualified in your state’s apartment law.

Agenda Item 5: How Do We Choose a Vendor?

Send one scope to every bidder

Quotes can only be compared if every vendor prices the same job. Your request for quotation should include:

• The inventory sheet and nameplate photos
• Site photos of the exhaust route for each set
• A clear list of what must be included (see table below)
• Required documents: certification, test reports, warranty terms
• Deadline for questions and for final bids

Like-for-like comparison sheet

Item	Vendor A	Vendor B	Vendor C
Device model and certification reference
Device price per set
Installation, supports and exhaust modifications
Commissioning and back pressure test
Remote monitoring or display
Warranty period and what it covers
Free service visits in warranty
Service cost after warranty
Delivery and installation timeline
Payment terms
References from other societies

Before comparing prices, confirm each device’s status. Our guides on choosing a CPCB-approved RECD vendor, verifying a CPCB-tested RECD and reading an RECD test certificate walk through the checks.

Three red flags

1. “Maintenance free forever.” Every exhaust device needs some attention. Read what a maintenance-free claim actually means.
2. A price far below the others with vague scope. Ask what is excluded.
3. Second-hand devices offered as new. If a used device is proposed openly, read whether buying a used RECD is sensible first.

Keep the process clean

Ask every committee member to declare any relationship with a bidder. Open bids together, record the comparison in the minutes and keep copies. Transparency protects the committee as much as the residents.

Before the committee signs the purchase order

Once the general body has approved the budget cap, the committee still has to turn the chosen bid into a sound contract. Check these points before signing:

• Payment milestones tied to progress. A common pattern is a modest advance on order, a larger share on delivery of the devices to site, most of the balance on commissioning, and a small retention released only after all certificates and serial number documents are handed over.
• Named models and serial numbers. The order should list the exact device model for each set, and the delivery note should carry the serial numbers that match the certificates.
• Scope in writing. Supports, exhaust modifications, cabling for the display or monitoring, commissioning tests and the removal of scrap pipe should all appear, set by set.
• Delivery and installation dates with a simple remedy if they slip, such as a reduced final payment.
• Warranty start date. Ask for the warranty to start from commissioning, not from invoice or dispatch.
• Service commitments. The number of free service visits during the warranty, the response time for a fault and the price of servicing after the warranty ends.
• Cooperation clause with the DG maintenance agency. The RECD vendor and your existing agency will need to work on the same sets. Put their responsibilities on record so neither can blame the other later.

Keep a paper trail residents can see

Transparency does more to calm a society than any technical argument. Keep a single project folder, physical or shared online, containing the committee paper, the general body minutes, the request for quotation, every bid received, the comparison sheet, conflict of interest declarations, the purchase order and, later, the commissioning reports. Tell residents where it is. Questions that would otherwise take up an hour at the next meeting can be answered with a link.

When some residents do not pay the levy

Most societies see a few defaulters on any special levy. Decide the approach in advance and record it in the resolution: reminders, then treatment of the unpaid amount as regular maintenance arrears under your bye-laws. Do not delay the order because a small share of the levy is outstanding if reserves can bridge the gap. A late retrofit costs everyone more than a temporary shortfall.

Agenda Item 6: When Should It Be Done?

Work backwards from October

For NCR societies, the aim is to have every set fitted and commissioned before the smog season, when GRAP restrictions usually begin. A realistic backward plan:

Month	Activity
April	Inventory, site photos, committee paper
May	General body meeting; cost-sharing method approved
June	Quotes invited and compared
July	Order placed within the approved budget cap
August	Collection of levy instalments; vendor site survey
September	Installation, one set at a time; commissioning
October	Documents filed; monitoring and servicing handed over

Device manufacture and delivery often take longer than fitting. Our article on the RECD installation timeline explains the stages. For how restrictions play out through winter, see how GRAP restrictions affect DG users.

If you are already late

Some committees read this in September or later. If the smog season will arrive before every set is fitted:

1. Fit the common-area set first. Lifts, water pumps and fire systems matter most to elderly residents and families on upper floors.
2. Place the order anyway. A purchase order, a vendor’s delivery schedule and the survey report show that the society is acting, which matters if an inspector visits.
3. Tell residents what backup to expect. If flat backup may be limited during GRAP stages, say so clearly and early rather than after the first outage.
4. Do not buy in a panic. Rushed purchases are where uncertified or unsuitable devices slip through. The vendor checks in Agenda Item 5 still apply.

Agenda Item 7: What Will Residents Notice on Installation Day?

Usually very little, if the committee plans well.

• One set at a time. While one flat-backup set is being fitted, the other carries backup for the whole society, if its capacity allows, or backup is limited to essential loads for that day.
• Lifts and pumps first. The common-area set should never be out on the same day as a flat-backup set.
• Avoid the hottest weeks when outages and air conditioning load are highest.
• Tell residents in advance.

Sample notice for residents

Notice: DG Set Emission Device Installation Dear Residents, as approved in the general body meeting held on [date], an emission control device will be fitted on DG set [tag] on [date] between [time] and [time]. During this period, DG backup for Towers [names] will be supplied by DG set [tag] and may be limited to [load]. Lifts, water pumps and common lighting will remain on backup. Please avoid running high-load appliances if a power cut occurs during this window. For questions, contact [name, number]. Managing Committee

Agenda Item 8: Who Looks After It Afterwards?

The purchase is not complete until someone owns the device’s care.

• Name a responsible person in the committee or facility team.
• Add the RECD to the maintenance agency’s scope. Ask for back pressure and device status readings in the monthly DG report. Our guide on negotiating a generator AMC helps you add these terms.
• Keep a document file with the device serial number, certificate and commissioning report, ready for any inspection.
• Follow the service schedule in the RECD maintenance guide. Society sets often run only during outages, so periodic loaded runs matter.

Draft Resolutions for the General Body

Adapt these to your bye-laws and have them checked before the meeting.

Resolution 1: Compliance route “Resolved that the society shall bring its diesel generator sets into compliance with applicable emission requirements by fitting retrofit emission control devices on DG-1 and DG-2 and [route] on DG-3, as set out in the committee paper dated [date].”

Resolution 2: Budget and cost sharing “Resolved that a total budget not exceeding ₹[amount], including contingency, is approved, to be funded from [fund] to the extent of ₹[amount] and the balance through a special levy apportioned by [method], payable in [number] instalments due on [dates].”

Resolution 3: Authority to place the order “Resolved that the managing committee is authorised to select a vendor from bids meeting the published scope, place orders within the approved budget, and report the outcome and final cost at the next general body meeting.”

A budget cap in Resolution 3 is what saves you from a second meeting.

Questions Residents Will Ask

“I never use DG backup. Why should I pay?”

Lifts, water pumps, fire systems and common lighting also run on the generators. Everyone benefits from those. A split cost method, with common-area costs shared equally and flat-backup costs by load, answers this fairly.

“Can’t we just stop using the DG sets?”

Some societies try. It usually lasts until the first long summer outage with elderly residents on upper floors and no water pressure. A compliant set is the practical middle path.

“Will our monthly DG charges go up?”

Diesel consumption per unit is broadly unchanged with an RECD. There will be a modest servicing cost for the device, which the committee should show in the budget.

“Why not the cheapest quote?”

Because the cheapest quote often excludes supports, commissioning, monitoring or service. The comparison sheet makes those gaps visible.

“What sizes are we talking about?”

Most society sets fall between 250 kVA and 1,000 kVA. Typical device details are on our 250 kVA and 500 kVA RECD pages.

Bring a Decision Paper, Not Just a Quote

RWAs that complete RECD projects smoothly do the paperwork first: an inventory, a route comparison, a cost-sharing method, a clean vendor process and resolutions with a budget cap. The engineering follows easily after that.

If your committee would like help preparing the technical side of the paper, including device sizing for each set, share your inventory through our RECD product page or contact the Aceget team.