MSEDCL bills for June shock customers

Citizens unable to make out if sum paid for past 3 months as average was adjusted; new tariff caused higher billing, say officials

With the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) getting down to billing based on meter readings after a gap of three months, when the exercise was suspended in view of the lockdown, the magnitude of the bills has left many a customer seething.

Most claim they are unable to decipher the calculations and contend that the average amount that they already paid up in the past three months has not been deducted from the amount in the new bill. However, MSEDCL spokesperson insisted that the billing was accurate and amounts are high as the new tariff regime kicked in from April.

Yet citizens have pointed out anomalies in the billing. “I got a bill of Rs 19,000 this month despite paying up the average amount billed by the power utility these past three months. I use the house to run a small business, which remained shut throughout the entire lockdown. We barely opened it for a few days in May. On average, we incur a bill of Rs 4,000. I’ve raised the issue with the company,” said Sujit Agrawal, a resident of Pashan.

Similarly, Baner resident Surjit Singh complained, “For the last three months, I received bill of Rs 1,900 and Rs 1,700, which I believe was an average bill calculated, as meter reading was not possible. I also sent my meter reading around May-end and expected that the bill will be adjusted accordingly. However, I received a bill of Rs 12,000.”

Like him, many are perplexed about what was done about the average bills they’d paid up earlier. Prachee Bhosale, a resident of Wakad, said, “I have a direct debit set for my electricity bill payment. The last three months, a bill of Rs 4,000 per month was deducted from my account. This time, I received a bill of Rs 9,000 and the calculation which they have shown is confusing, as we cannot make out how the average bill has been accounted for.”

Again, Shridhar Pantvaidya, a resident of Bavdhan, pointed out, “Despite paying Rs 2,600-2,700 on average for the last three months, I got a bill of Rs 8,000 this time. I can understand that due to the extra fan and AC consumption, the reading would have been on the higher side, but Rs 8,000 is beyond imagination.” At Sinhagad Road, Sagarika Pandit, also contested, “I have paid the bill for the last three months. Usually, I get billed between Rs 1,500 and Rs 1,700. Yet, this time I received a bill of Rs 7,000. I have also registered a complaint on the MSEDCL app.”

However, Nishikant Raut, spokesperson for MSEDCL’s Pune zone, explained, “We have received several complaints. We have asked citizens to check the link where details of their usage are given. The bill generated in the month of June is accurate. New rates of electricity are also applicable for the month of April; therefore, the bill would be at a higher side.”