Smart meters spark consumer anger in Jamshedpur

Wrong bills, technical glitches leave residents troubled

Manpreet Bhatia

Jamshedpur, Aug 20: What was promised as a modern facility has now turned into a major headache for electricity consumers in Kolhan. The smart meters installed by the Jharkhand Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited (JBVNL), introduced with the claim of ensuring transparent billing and convenient online payments, are increasingly drawing criticism for issuing inflated and erroneous bills.

Consumers across Kolhan are reporting unusually high bills, many times more than their actual consumption. A large number of households that previously paid around Rs 2,000 monthly are now being slapped with bills ranging from Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000. In many cases, the units recorded on the smart meters far exceed the realistic electricity usage of the households.

Out of 8.5 lakh power consumers in Kolhan, smart meters have been installed in 45,000 homes so far. Alarmingly, most of these households have reported problems of incorrect billing. Even those who opt for online payments are not spared; despite paying on time, discrepancies in the system often lead to penalties in the form of Delayed Payment Surcharge (DPS).

Consumers say the system, instead of providing convenience, has added both mental stress and financial burden. Many are being forced to take time off work to approach electricity offices in search of redressal. However, solutions remain elusive, with even engineers admitting to limited knowledge of the technical functioning of the smart meters.

“The irony is that engineers themselves often lack clarity about the system, so timely resolution of consumer complaints remains out of reach,” said one aggrieved consumer.

The technical flaws, coupled with delays in correcting bills, highlight negligence on the part of the distribution corporation. This, consumers argue, has left the public to bear the brunt of poor planning and execution.

“My average bill was never more than ₹2,000, but suddenly I got one for Rs 9,600. How can this be possible?” says Mango resident Niraj Pandey.

Old Purulia road resident Md. Asgar said, “We are told to complain at the electricity office, but even engineers don’t know how to fix these meters.”

Responding to the criticism, Ajit Kumar, general manager, Jamshedpur area board, JBVNL said, “Bills sent by the electricity department are correct and the consumers who think they are getting incorrect bills can have their meter tested. Smart meters installed are fine as the same are being installed all over the country.”

Ajit Kumar, General Manager of the Jamshedpur Area Board, JBVNL, responded to the criticism, saying, “The bills issued by the electricity department are correct. If consumers believe otherwise, they are free to have their meters tested. The smart meters are functioning properly, and the same technology is being used across the country.”