New JBVNL helplines resolve 40% of complaints in 14 days

Ranchi: Within a fortnight of its launch, the public grievance redressal centre and complaint hotline set up by the Jharkhand Bijli Vitran Nigam Ltd (JBVNL) has registered over 1,400 complaints, providing immediate resolution to more than 40% of cases, officials said on Tuesday.

Anup Prasad, senior manager and in-charge of the facility, said that between its inauguration on May 18 and June 1, a total of 1,447 complaints were registered, of which 633 have been resolved.

"On average, we get 150 to 200 calls per day," Prasad said. The grievances are largely bifurcated into billing-related and infrastructure-related categories. Billing issues include requests for name or number updates, smart meter updates and bill errors. Infrastructure complaints involve the repair or installation of transformers, and fixing broken wires or poles.

Prasad said that emergency cases like burnt transformers, broken wires and name or number modifications were among those resolved immediately. "Infrastructure-related cases will likely take 15 to 30 days to resolve, depending on the type of request, requirements and the technicalities involved," he added.

To handle the initial heavy rush, JBVNL added two additional phone lines on May 29. The centre also transitioned from its original 6 am to 10 pm schedule to a 24x7 operation, with staff working in three shifts. The existing toll-free numbers available for consumers are 9031110118, 9031110119 and 9031110120.

"We are planning to propose further expansion of the centre to the department so we can cater to more people and address their issues in a timely manner,” Prasad stated.

Residents praised the initiative. Pradeep Sinha, a retiree, said, "I raised a complaint about a burnt transformer a few days ago when it was raining heavily, and it was fixed within two hours. I even received a call back to verify if the issue was solved."

Another resident, Mohini Singh, said, "I applied for a phone number change for my electricity bill, and the update was completed within a day," she said.

Operating alongside JBVNL’s existing complaint numbers, which are managed from the company’s headquarters in Dhurwa, the new helplines offer consumers enhanced flexibility. Residents can choose to either log their grievances over the phone or visit the centre in person to register their complaints.