By: ML Verma
Shimla (Oct 27): Public sector telecom operator Bharat Sanchar Nigim Limited (BSNL), having around 15 lakh customers in Himachal Pradesh circle, is forcing its customers in Shimla to ‘move from pillar to post’ as inefficient billing system has been creating troubles to many of them.
Number of costumers complained that they had to get their bills corrected even twice by visiting the authorities concerned to re-issue new bills. They claimed that BSNL’s landline bill for the month of November 2010 is reflecting due date of October 7, 2010, whenever it has been posted to costumers on October 14, 2010. Moreover, the same bill shows incorrect amount, which has reportedly occurred due to delay in entries of cheque payments despite bills having been paid in time by the costumers.
Costumers who could not figure out the error in their bill were being forced to deposit the incorrect amount, thereby charging extra payment for one month. When some costumers complaining about the incorrect billing, officials undermining the mistake by suggesting them to automatically assume the due date as October 26, 2010. No public corrigenda and written information has been issued which can help customers.
Costumers in Shimla alleged that BSNL landlines connections had also not been functioning properly due to repeated faults in telephone lines. Recently hundreds of telephones remained off for a week as a 150-meter-long cable was stolen by some miscreants near the Chauta-Shimla telephone exchange. Residents of Kayarkoti village near this town alleged the village telephone line has been dead after despite several appeals to officials. Top officials of BSNL had been putting the entire blame on frequent cable thefts.
