Ulhasnagar : A wave of public anger swept through Ulhasnagar recently as a massive power outage affecting 1,500 households triggered a major standoff between local residents and the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL). The crisis by the controversial installation of new smart meters, saw hundreds of citizens storming the MSEDCL office to protest against sudden disconnections and what they describe as “skyrocketing” monthly bills.
The 1,500-Home Blackout
The unrest began when 1,500 homes reportedly lost power simultaneously without any prior notice from the utility provider. Frustrated residents claimed that despite having cleared their previous dues, their homes remained in darkness. The automatic nature of smart meter systems has come under fire across Maharashtra, with similar reports in regions like Nashik where power is cut immediately upon non-payment of even small arrears.
Bill Shock: From ₹5,000 to ₹30,000
At the heart of the protest are allegations of extreme billing discrepancies. During the demonstrations, local residents shared harrowing accounts of their electricity costs jumping five-fold almost overnight.One local youth reported his average bill of ₹5,000–₹6,000 surged to nearly ₹30,000 following the meter replacement. Many citizens expressed a deep-seated fear that the new meters, installed by private contractors, are designed to inflated readings and pave the way for a transition to a more expensive prepaid system.
High-Level Intervention
To de-escalate the rising tensions, a high-level meeting was convened at the office of MLA Kumar Ailani, attended by senior MSEDCL officials, former corporators, and local traders. The discussion highlighted severe negligence in maintenance, unresponsive staff, and the widespread technical “malfunctioning” attributed to the Adani Group-supplied smart meters.In a bid to restore public trust, MSEDCL officials have proposed a side-by-side review process. Under this plan:Both the old analog/digital meters and the new smart meters will be installed together at complainant households. Readings will be compared over a specific period to verify if the smart meters are indeed generating inflated bills.
Conclusion-
The situation in Ulhasnagar is part of a broader wave of resistance across Maharashtra against the state’s plan to replace approximately 2.25 crore electricity meters with smart meters.While MSEDCL maintains that smart meters are part of a national modernization program aimed at reducing errors, the rollout continues to face fierce resistance across the state. In Ulhasnagar, the message from the public remains clear: transparency must precede technology.
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