Viraj.DeshpandeNagpur: Amid growing complaints from consumers over high electricity bills after the installation of Smart (Time-of-Day) meters, Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) has announced special consumer camps across Nagpur and Wardha districts on July 8 to address grievances and clear misconceptions surrounding the new metering system. The MSEDCL will also resolve the issues of citizens having higher bills with the help of their technical teams.TOI had been reporting that not just the smart meters consumers but even the old meter consumers have received inflated bills in the past few months.The decision comes after a surge in public concern, with many consumers alleging that their electricity bills have increased significantly following the installation of Smart (ToD) meters. MSEDCL, however, maintains that the meters are technically accurate and has attributed much of the confusion to misinformation circulating on social media.Consumer camps will be organised from 9am to 2pm in all subdivisions of Nagpur and Wardha districts under the Nagpur Circle. In Nagpur city, camps will be held at 31 designated locations under the Civil Lines, Congress Nagar, Gandhibagh, Mahal and Butibori divisions, while all 99 branch offices under the Nagpur Rural Circle will also conduct grievance redressal camps.MSEDCL said the initiative aims to provide direct interaction between consumers and technical officers, allowing doubts about meter accuracy, billing calculations and Time-of-Day tariffs to be clarified without delay.Chief engineer Rajesh Naik said the camps will enable consumers to get their complaints regarding higher bills examined on the spot. Technical teams and subdivision officials will verify meter-related grievances, explain the functioning of the Smart (ToD) system and initiate corrective action wherever required.According to MSEDCL, smart (ToD) meters are designed to encourage consumers to shift electricity usage to off-peak hours by offering a rebate of 85 paise per unit for power consumed between 9 am and 5 pm. Officials said consumers who understand the tariff structure and monitor their usage can reduce their electricity expenses.Naik said industrial consumers have been using Time-of-Day metering successfully for several years and there is no technical issue with the system. He urged consumers not to rely on unverified social media posts claiming that Smart meters inflate bills, adding that any genuine billing dispute would be investigated.The power utility also claimed that awareness about the benefits of Smart (ToD) meters has led thousands of consumers in the Nagpur Circle to voluntarily opt for the system. Consumers can track their electricity consumption in real time through the Maha Urja Mitra mobile application, helping them manage usage and reduce bills.According to MSEDCL, 7.51 lakh Smart (ToD) meters have been installed across the Nagpur Circle, including 6.01 lakh in Nagpur district and 1.49 lakh in Wardha district. Consumers who continue to have concerns about higher bills or meter accuracy can also register complaints through the utility’s website, mobile application or its 24-hour helpline numbers.
