Bescom shifts to digital bills as meter readers stay away

Bengaluru's power utility, Bescom, has temporarily switched to sending electricity bills via SMS or email after meter readers stopped reporting for duty. The disruption, which began earlier this week, has left thousands of households without physical bills.

Consumers who have registered their mobile numbers and email addresses with Bescom will receive their bills digitally. Those who haven't updated their contact details may face delays in receiving their monthly statements.

What triggered the disruption?

Meter readers, who are outsourced workers employed by private agencies contracted to Bescom, have been on strike over wage revisions and working conditions. The exact number of workers involved is not immediately clear, but the utility has acknowledged that the strike has affected bill distribution across several zones in the city.

Bescom officials said they are in talks with the contractors to resolve the issue. However, no timeline has been given for when physical billing will resume.

How consumers can get their bills

Bescom has advised consumers to check their registered mobile numbers and email IDs on the utility's official website or mobile app. If the details are missing or outdated, consumers can update them online or by visiting the nearest Bescom office.

For those without digital access, the utility said it is exploring alternative arrangements, including posting bills to addresses or making them available at designated collection centres. Officials have not yet confirmed when these options will be operational.

Steps to update contact details

• Visit the Bescom website and log in using your consumer ID.
• Navigate to the 'Profile' or 'Contact Details' section.
• Enter your current mobile number and email address.
• Verify the changes via an OTP sent to the new number.

Consumers can also call the Bescom helpline at 1912 for assistance.

Impact on consumers

Many residents in areas such as Koramangala, Indiranagar, and Whitefield have reported not receiving their bills for the current month. Some said they were unaware of the strike and only found out when they contacted the utility.

Bescom has assured consumers that late payment penalties will not be levied for bills delayed due to the disruption. The utility is also considering extending the payment deadline for affected consumers.

The strike comes at a time when Bescom has been pushing for greater digitisation of its services. The utility has previously introduced online payment options and smart meters in select areas.

For now, the digital billing system is a stop-gap measure. Bescom officials said they expect the strike to be resolved within the next few days, but have not ruled out a longer disruption if negotiations fail.