To tide over shortage of electricity meters, State-run Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) has placed order for 20 lakh pieces and expects to get supply of 3.80 lakh by end of March 2021. Due to outbreak of pandemic as lockdown was imposed since March during the last year, the production as well as supply chains got disrupted.

 

Similarly, Discom also halted releasing new connection leading to piling-up of demand. Hence to rapidly release new connection in single and three phase, the Discom has placed order for supply of 18 lakh single phase and 1.70 lakh three phase electric metres. About 8 to 9 lakh new connections are commissioned by MSEDCL every year but after March 2020, the availability of new electricity meters disrupted the smooth supply chain. After June 2020, the company has provided 6,50,523 single phase and 62,055 three phase electricity connections.

 

In order to avoid any inconvenience to the customers due to lack of meters, instructions have been issued by the head office to deliver the available electricity meters to the customers immediately. ordered to be closed on Saturday and Sunday and even curbs were imposed on restaurants and hotels. Later, as case load piled-up quite high, a week long stringent curbs were imposed and non-essential trade was locked-up throughout the week. Even essential category shops were later told to curtail as timings were restricted till 1 pm since citizens were find roaming on streets. But now civic administration hopes to control the further spread of virus transmission and also calibrate need to keep wheels of economy rolling to ensure that all sector keeps thriving.