Mumbai: Amid mounting complaints of unusually high electricity bills across South Mumbai and other parts of the island city this month, the BEST on Wednesday announced that it will set up smart meter help desks in every ward to assist consumers and address grievances.The move comes after several residents complained of receiving power bills that were two to four times higher than their usual monthly charges, with many attributing the spike to recently installed smart meters. The issue was raised at the BEST committee meeting by BJP member Aakash Purohit, who sought immediate intervention and stronger consumer grievance mechanisms.BEST general manager Sonia Sethi directed officials to organise bill-verification camps across the island city, from Cuffe Parade to Sion and Mahim, and ensure that the schedule is widely publicised so that affected consumers can seek clarifications and assistance. She also announced the setting up of ward-level smart meter help desks to facilitate complaint redressal and meter verification.The BEST also plans to procure advanced testing benches to strengthen the existing meter testing mechanism.Purohit cited several instances of steep bill hikes. In one case, a consumer’s monthly electricity bill reportedly rose from around Rs 9,000 to Rs 22,000, while another saw charges increase from Rs 3,000 to Rs 12,000. He argued that while utilities act swiftly on bill recovery and power disconnections for non-payment, consumers often face delays in getting billing complaints resolved. He also demanded the appointment of a dedicated officer in every ward to handle billing-related issues.Nitin Nandgaonkar from Sena UBT voiced concerns about the accuracy of smart meters and the adequacy of existing testing facilities. BEST officials, however, maintained that every electricity meter is tested at its Wadala laboratory before installation and said a proposal to introduce more advanced testing benches is under consideration. Consumer activists contended that the current infrastructure is outdated and needs urgent modernisation to improve transparency and public confidence.The issue has triggered growing concern among consumers, particularly as the smart meter rollout expands across the city. BEST officials assured consumers that grievance cells and special camps would help address their concerns.
