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Ludhiana: PSPCL recovers ₹120cr from defaulters in a month
Over 10,000 power connections have been disconnected as industrial and commercial consumers account for bulk of outstanding dues
The Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has recovered ₹120.3 crore from consumers with long-pending electricity bills during a month-long special recovery drive held across Ludhiana district, officials said.
Launched in September, the drive targeted consumers who had failed to clear overdue payments. As part of the initiative, PSPCL teams disconnected 10,023 power connections across the district.
City East Circle, which includes industrial pockets such as the Focal Point, Estate, and Sunder Nagar divisions, recorded the highest number of defaulters. The Focal Point division topped the list with over 1,350 disconnections, followed by Sunder Nagar division with 1,125, the CMC division with 825, and City Centre division with 650 connections cut.
A senior PSPCL official said industrial and commercial consumers accounted for a large portion of the total outstanding dues. “The recovery teams were instructed to focus on areas with chronic defaulters and high outstanding amounts. The response has been encouraging and several consumers have cleared their pending bills to avoid disconnection,” the official added.
Officials noted that while recovery drives are conducted periodically, this round took a more aggressive approach, including final notices, field inspections and surprise checks in both urban and rural areas.
“The drives are planned based on the consumer base and revenue potential of each division to ensure fair and effective implementation,” the official said.
Chief engineer (distribution) Jagdev Hans said, “The drive primarily targeted errant consumers, both residential and commercial, whose electricity bills had been pending for several months. Prior to disconnection, notices were duly served and action was taken only after consumers failed to respond. If bills remain unpaid for a long period, additional charges and interest are automatically added to the outstanding amount. To avoid such penalties, consumers should clear their dues on time.”
