Only 15% societies in Gurugram switch to unified electricity billing
Gurugram, February 15
With just 15 per cent of over 300 Gurugram societies having switched to the unified electricity billing system for single-point connections, residents have approached the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) seeking mandation of the same.
High-rise residents complain of being overcharged and forced to pay for common areas by local Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) and builders.
PROBLEMS WITH NEW SYSTEM
- According to a senior DHBVN official, a majority of societies are still not switching as they have to maintain separate meters for common services, such as the common area, sewage treatment plants and streetlights, and overhaul their existing electricity infrastructure.
- In case of power backup, the system requires the residents to pay separately or through dual register meters.
The system, launched by the DHBVN in 2022 to monitor overcharging for electricity by societies, is yet to be fully adopted, with the majority of societies still needing to integrate their meters with the new system. The unified billing system was intended to ensure that end-users receive a separate bill for actual power consumption at the stipulated tariff, preventing developers or RWAs from overcharging residents for electricity under the guise of power backup and common area maintenance.
“The system was launched to benefit the end-users of single-point connections like flat owners in high-rises. It would ensure that residents pay only for what is being used in their individual residential units and not for common areas like lifts, porches, parking, etc. A majority of societies are yet to adopt it, and we are considering mandating the system,” said DHBVN MD PC Meena.
The system is poised to provide significant relief to flat owners who have repeatedly complained about bills raised by builders or RWAs that do not adhere to the standard tariff of DHBVN, depriving them of the benefits of the differential slab tariff.
According to a senior DHBVN official, the majority of societies have still not made the switch because they need to maintain separate meters for common services, such as the common area, sewage treatment plants, and streetlights, and overhaul their existing electricity infrastructure. In the case of power backup, the system requires residents to pay separately or through dual-register meters.
Many societies cite a lack of funds to switch to new power infrastructure, while others highlight non-user-friendly software as challenges.
“Every other day, a multitude of errors and issues arise with billing, including incorrect tariff slab selection, absence of GST details on the bill, and miscalculations regarding the consumption of electricity in common areas. We haven’t seen significant benefits since adopting the new system. Additionally, there are discrepancies, as the majority of flat owners refuse to take responsibility for their bills by comparing them to others, so we have reverted to the old system,” stated an office-bearer of the United Gurugram RWA Association.
