Noida
A review meeting was held at the office of the Chief Engineer of Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL), Sanjay Jain, to address consumer grievances related to the prepaid smart meter system in the city. The meeting was attended by Superintending Engineer (Commercial) Umesh Yadav, Superintending Engineer (Technical) Vivek Kumar, along with all Executive Engineers and representatives of Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs).
RWA Representatives Raise Concerns
During the meeting, RWA representatives highlighted several issues faced by residents after the installation of smart meters. Yogendra Sharma pointed out that consumers are facing significant inconvenience, as in many cases, electricity supply has been disconnected despite payments being made.
General Secretary K.K. Jain stated that new problems are emerging daily following the implementation of the system. He emphasized that power supply is being cut even after timely payments, creating distress among consumers.
Demand for Immediate Relief
The representatives demanded that the installation of new smart meters should be halted until the system becomes fully stable and reliable. They also insisted that electricity supply to consumers should not be disrupted under any circumstances until technical issues are resolved.
Concerns were also raised about the limited availability of grievance redressal facilities. Currently, only one office in Sector-18 handles billing-related complaints, leading to overcrowding and inconvenience for residents from distant sectors. The RWAs demanded the opening of additional complaint centers to ensure faster resolution.
Technical Issues Identified
Chief Engineer Sanjay Jain acknowledged the issues raised during the meeting and explained that the problems arose due to increased load on the server after the rollout of the new system. This led to technical glitches, which prevented consumers from making timely payments and resulted in power supply disruptions.
He assured that continuous improvements are being made to the system to prevent such issues in the future.
Policy and Future Course of Action
The Chief Engineer clarified that the installation of smart meters is part of a statewide government policy and has already been implemented in several districts. However, he assured that the process of installing new meters will be reconsidered until the server and system are fully stabilized.
On the issue of electricity disconnections, he stated that discussions will be held with the Managing Director to explore temporary relief measures for affected consumers.
Steps for Improved Grievance Redressal
To address billing and service-related complaints, Sanjay Jain announced that an additional office will soon be established apart from the existing facility in Sector-18. This is expected to ease the burden on the current system and provide quicker assistance to consumers.
Regarding complaints of excessive billing, he advised consumers to lodge formal complaints with the concerned officials. He stated that such cases will be verified by installing check meters to ensure accuracy.
Encouraging Use of Digital Platforms
The Chief Engineer also urged consumers to download the official UPPCL mobile application. The app provides facilities for bill viewing, payment, and lodging complaints, making it easier for users to manage their electricity-related services.
The meeting concluded with assurances from UPPCL officials to address consumer concerns through system upgrades, improved infrastructure, and enhanced grievance redressal mechanisms. Both officials and RWA representatives agreed on the need for better coordination to ensure a smoother transition to the smart meter system.
The meeting was attended by Yogendra Sharma, K.K. Jain, Pawan Yadav, Vijay Kumar Bhati, Ashok Kumar Mishra, Devendra Singh Chauhan, Vinod Sharma, Omveer Bansal, Koshinder Yadav, Anita, Satyanarayan Goyal, Virendra Singh Nagarkoti, Raghvendra Dubey, and other representatives.
