7 months after launch, Internet curbs mar PDD’s “BillSahuliyat”

JAMMU: The ongoing restrictions on the mobile internet has severly impacted Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Department (JKPDD’s) recent initiative ‘Bill Sahuliyat’, which looks like has died an immature death as the servers of the PDD lie defunct being based in Kashmir Valley.

The ‘Bill Sahuliyat’ e-service was started by the JKPDDD to encourage consumers to pay electricity bills online in February this year only to be rendered useless in less than seven months.

Even as the internet access is barred—to majority in Jammu and to all in Kashmir, the website has gone inaccessible, thanks to its servers lying defunct, as is the case with many other website and services.

The service, launched by JKPDD with much fan fare on 2 February, provides options to consumers for paying electricity bills through any debit or credit card, besides Internet banking of 53 major banks.

It also provides a flexible option of part payment and advance payment. Apart from the website, the App has been developed by the in-house software development team of JKPDD IT Division Srinagar.

“The people were gradually becoming familiar with online payment of electricity bills but the internet restrictions have halted the process. It just started to pick pace as in the month of July, the website---- billsahuliyat.jkpdd.net and mobile app witness growth of 5 percent,” a PDD Superintendent Engineer associated with billing process of JKPDD told The News Now.

“The 5 percent was the maximum growth witnessed by this online system. Otherwise people deposit electricity bills manually in Jammu and Kashmir Bank,” he added.

“Another motive of the Bill Sahuliyat was to recover pending bills, which is also diminished now,” official said.

“Although broadband services are accessible in Jammu region but the server of Bill Sahuliyat is in Kashmir. We cannot activate the server of Bill Sahuliyat as there is no access of internet in Kashmir,” he added.

“The other platform likes paytm, phonepay and googlepay are also redirected on the https://billsahuliyat.jkpdd.net/,” he added.

If the sources to be believed, the JKPDD pays some minor part of the electricity bills to J&K Bank in return to deputing banker to accept electricity bills from consumers. On contrary if consumer use online mode to pay electricity bills then whole amount is transferred to the account of JKPDD department.

Pertinently, in past one week Power Development Department (PDD) has booked more than 300 defaulters and realized revenue of more than Rs 20 lakh on the spot.

Meanwhile, PDD has appealed consumers to make timely payment of their monthly electric bills, and clear outstanding/arrear amount, if any, at the earliest to avoid disconnection of power supply.