Former leader of Opposition (LoP) Ravi Raja from the Congress on Friday alleged that the smart-meter project by the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) is a way to privatise the civic-run public transport undertaking. The BEST has taken up the smart-meter project on a directive from the ministry of Power of the Government of India. Raja took to Twitter saying that Adani will collect the amount from consumers as the installation of prepaid electric meters is entrusted with his company, leading to the privatisation of BEST. The new automatic electric pre-paid meters are mandatory and BEST, via tendering process, has given the contract valued at Rs 1,300 crore to Adani transmission. BEST supplies electricity to the city of Mumbai. But from September there will be change in it. Adani Electrical Company will install its meter. Tender for which is passed. Meters will be automatic pre-paid meters and consumers have no option but to go for it. 1-1 — Ravi Raja INC (@ravirajaINC) July 28, 2023 At present, BEST provides electricity to customers in the Island city and has 10.5 lakh customers. Raja said the meter will put a burden on them, of which 40 per cent are slum dwellers and 30 per cent are lower middle class families. As per an isider from BEST, the role of Adani is however only to install and take care of maintenance of these smart metres which will be installed in phases in 10 years of its contract period. According to an insider, the objective of pre-paid meters is to benefit consumers by enabling better budgeting and expenditure control. It also has benefits such as flexible payment option, no late payment penalties, easy access to energy usage data and suitability for rental properties. Raja also tweeted that the proposal for smart meter project was passed by BEST in August -September 2022. As per the orders of Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC), it was to be implemented from January 1, 2023, but was delayed due to non-availability of automatic prepaid electric meters and will now be implemented from September.
