Technical snags delay DHBVN switch to monthly billing

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 22

Due to technical roadblocks, Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) has not been able to execute its plan to start monthly billing for consumers in 12 towns of the state from this month as per the schedule set by it.

Under the Restructured Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Project (R-APDRP), the power utilities plan to switch over to monthly from the existing bi-monthly billing for the domestic and non-domestic consumers in a phased manner in some selected towns of the state.

As per the schedule, monthly billing was to start in Bhiwani, Charkhi Dadri, Dabwali, Ellenabad, Fatehabad, Hansi, Jind, Narnaul, Narwana, Palwal, Rewari and Tohana in the first phase from this month.

In the second phase, the monthly billing would be started in Gurgaon, Hisar and Sirsa from August and in the third phase, in Faridabad and Hodal from September.

The process of monthly billing had already been started in Barwala town of Hisar as a pilot project.

According to a circular issued by the DHBVN, the last date of the payments in cases of monthly bills would be 14 days from the date of issue of the bills and in case of delayed payment, a surcharge of 1.5 per cent would be levied on it.

However, despite announcement, the DHBVN has not been able to start monthly billing for its consumers in the towns selected for the first phase due to some technical problems.

“We require double the staff and double the equipment for switching over to the monthly billing from the earlier bi-monthly billing,” said Arun Kumar Verma, Managing Director of the DHBVN.

Verma said in five of the 12 towns to be taken up in the first phase, binders had already been initiated in accordance with the bi-monthly billing. Hence, it was not possible to issue monthly bills there.

Verma said that monthly billing would start in all towns coming under the first phase of the R-APDRP from the next month.