Dehradun – Tension flared in Dehradun on Tuesday (14 Oct) as BJP councillors and local residents protested outside the Executive Engineer’s office on EC Road, alleging that the installation of smart electricity meters had caused power bills to soar up to four times higher than before. The councillors claimed the meters were installed without consumer consent and demanded an immediate review of the devices and billing system.
Led by councillor Meenakshi Nautiyal, the protesters submitted a memorandum to the Executive Engineer, stating that in July and August 2025, smart meters were forcibly installed in several wards without prior notice or approval from residents. They alleged that despite repeated objections, the electricity department and its contractors went ahead with the installation.
Residents complained that their average bi-monthly bills, which previously ranged between ₹1,000 and ₹1,200, have now surged to ₹1,500–₹2,000 for just one month. Many accused the department of selectively installing the meters in only a few localities, raising suspicions over transparency in the process.
Adding to the anger, the councillors claimed that for the past eight months, bills from the old meters had not been issued, and now the department had sent consolidated, inflated bills that were financially burdensome for the public. They demanded that check meters be installed at every smart meter household to verify actual power consumption and declared that until the inspection is completed, residents would not pay the disputed bills.
The councillors warned that if the issue remains unresolved, they would remove the smart meters and stage an indefinite sit-in outside the Executive Engineer’s office.
