A dispute over smart electricity meters has intensified in Vasai-Virar, with Mahavitaran claiming that nearly five lakh consumers saved Rs 11.37 crore over the past 18 months, while political parties have warned of a highway-block protest on September 7 over complaints of excessive electricity bills.
According to information released by Mahavitaran, around two lakh consumers in the Vasai division benefited by Rs 2.41 crore during the current financial year. In the Virar division, 2.88 lakh consumers reportedly received benefits totalling Rs 4 crore. The utility said the broader savings figure for consumers in the Vasai and Virar divisions over the previous one-and-a-half years was Rs 11.37 crore.
Mahavitaran attributed the savings to the use of smart-meter technology and related consumer incentives. These include access to hourly electricity-consumption information through an app, a discount of 85 paise per unit for consumption between 9 am and 5 pm, digital-payment benefits and discounts available through its ‘Go Green’ initiative.
The utility has also sought to counter concerns about the technology. Chandramani Mishra, chief engineer of the Kalyan circle, said smart meters are postpaid and appealed to consumers not to believe what Mahavitaran described as misconceptions about the meters or rumours of an electricity tariff increase.
The utility’s claims have not ended the dispute. Residents in Vasai-Virar have complained that they received unusually high electricity bills after smart meters were installed. The complaints have brought political parties together in opposition to the rollout, according to the report.
The parties have warned that they will hold a highway-block agitation in the city on September 7. The proposed protest is centred on the billing complaints and opposition to smart meters. The report did not provide details of the protest route, the expected number of participants or whether the local administration had approved traffic-management arrangements.
The competing claims have created a public dispute over how smart-meter data is being used, how electricity bills are calculated and how consumers can verify their consumption. Mahavitaran has highlighted digital access and discounts, while residents and opposition parties have demanded answers over bills they consider excessive.
The immediate next development is the proposed highway-block protest on September 7. Mahavitaran’s position remains that the meters are postpaid and that their use has delivered financial and technical benefits to consumers.
