Coronavirus Pune: MSEDCL to generate average bills during lockdown

Pune: Although the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) has extended the payment date of the bill till mid of May, thousands of consumers in the city are worried about bill amount.

MSEDCL has stopped the physical meter reading owing to COVID-19. But now, the company was generating the online average bills for the consumers.

Vijay Kulkarni, a 42-year-old IT professional resident, from Warje is worried about electricity bills since the physical meter reading has been shut. Every month I receive the bills on the 16th and on the next day I pay it online”, he said.

“Every month the MSEDCL sends a message on my mobile number with details of meter reading with units of electricity we consumed. But now with no reading of the bill, I am worried about how much I will have to pay for the month,” said Kulkarni.

Vitthal Shinde of Bavdhan spoke on the same lines. He said that if MSEDCL did not generate bill during the coronavirus period, then what would be the bill amount after the COVID-19 pandemic recedes, he wondered.

Don’t panic, says MSEDCL
However, MSEDCL officials have requested the consumers not to get in a panic about the bill as an average bill will be generated during the lockdown period. 

“The state government has declared lockdown from March 22 to April 30. During this period, meter reading has been stopped. As a result, consumers of all categories, including residential, will be given the average bills. However, after the lockdown, actual reading will be taken, and the difference in consumption will be adjusted,” said MSEDCL Public Relation Officer (PRO) Nishikant Raut.

However, the consumers can send their actual meter reading by using Mahavitaran portal and mobile app for billing. During this period, no bills will be printed. Consumers can download and print their bills from Mahavitaran website and portal. Already messages regarding bills have been sent on the registered mobile numbers.