📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / UnpetitproleX
Technology
50,000 Defective Smart Meters in Jammu & Kashmir Leave Consumers Waiting Since 2023
✍️ Daily Excelsior
🗓 10 Sep 2026, 08:37 AM
👁 3
Around 50,000 smart electricity meters installed in Jammu and Kashmir have remained non‑functional, and households have been awaiting replacements since 2023.
The power distribution network in Jammu and Kashmir is grappling with a backlog of roughly 50,000 smart meters that have been out of service since their installation. The meters, intended to modernise billing and improve grid efficiency, are reported to be non‑functional, leaving consumers without accurate consumption data.
Households across the union territory have been forced to rely on manual readings or estimated bills, causing confusion and disputes over electricity charges. Consumer complaints have risen steadily, with many citing delayed or incorrect billing as a direct result of the faulty devices.
The state electricity board has acknowledged the problem but has not provided a definitive timeline for the replacement of the defective units. Officials say procurement and logistical challenges have slowed the rollout of new meters, and a large‑scale replacement drive is being planned.
The issue highlights broader challenges in India's smart‑meter rollout, where technical glitches and supply‑chain bottlenecks can undermine the benefits of digital infrastructure. Authorities have urged affected consumers to report problems through official helplines while the replacement programme is being organised.
Households across the union territory have been forced to rely on manual readings or estimated bills, causing confusion and disputes over electricity charges. Consumer complaints have risen steadily, with many citing delayed or incorrect billing as a direct result of the faulty devices.
The state electricity board has acknowledged the problem but has not provided a definitive timeline for the replacement of the defective units. Officials say procurement and logistical challenges have slowed the rollout of new meters, and a large‑scale replacement drive is being planned.
The issue highlights broader challenges in India's smart‑meter rollout, where technical glitches and supply‑chain bottlenecks can undermine the benefits of digital infrastructure. Authorities have urged affected consumers to report problems through official helplines while the replacement programme is being organised.