With monsoon approaching, Bescom consumers can seek remedies for their power-related problems in a quicker way through WhatsApp. On May 24, Energy Minister V Sunil Kumar announced that Bescom has provided a total of 11 WhatsApp helpline numbers to all the eight districts in its jurisdiction as the 1912 helpline number is flooded with calls during emergencies.
While Bengaluru Urban district, which has four circles (North, South, East and West) gets four numbers, Davanagere, Chitradurga, Tumakuru, Ramanagaram, Bengaluru Rural, Chikkaballapur and Kolar districts get one number each. Officials said that consumer service executives at helpline centres will coordinate with Bescom centres to resolve power-related queries which they receive on WhatsApp on a priority basis.
“So far, we had 1912 as our call centre number. To make things even easier for consumers, we are giving WhatsApp numbers. Consumers will get a quick and hassle-free response soon after they send a message to their respective district’s helpline number,” Sunil Kumar said.
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Further, to bring in more coordination between helpline centres and Bescom section offices during the rainy season, Assistant Executive Engineers (AEE) have been appointed as nodal officers at helpline centres. “These officers will be working on a shift basis and will provide better service to the consumers,” a senior official said.
| Helpline numbers | |
| Bengaluru Urban district | |
| South circle | 8277884011 |
| West circle | 8277884012 |
| East circle | 8277884013 |
| North circle | 8277884014 |
| Kolar | 8277884015 |
| Chikkaballapur | 8277884016 |
| Bengaluru Rural | 8277884017 |
| Ramanagaram | 8277884018 |
| Tumakuru | 8277884019 |
| Chitradurga | 8277884020 |
| Davanagere | 8277884021 |
Over 2 lakh transformers serviced
Under the Energy Department’s transformers maintenance campaign, more than two lakh transformers have been serviced in Karnataka so far, the Minister said. “This is the first time such a campaign was carried out in Karnataka, and we want the numbers to touch five lakh. But owing to unseasonal rains, our engineers had to focus on other work. We are thinking about continuing the campaign,” he said.
Bescom has overhauled 10,794 transformers in 16 days under the campaign in 535 sections across its jurisdiction.
Waiver for restaurants and hotels
The Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) has assured waiver of fixed electricity charges for the period between April and June 2021 for restaurants and hotels in Bengaluru registered under the Tourism Department. The Karnataka Government, in August 2021, announced the waiver of charges.
P. Rajendra Cholan, Managing Director, Bescom, asked hoteliers to submit zone-wise details of the registered hotels and restaurants to the officials concerned. He added that the fixed electricity charges for the period of three months will be reimbursed to hoteliers by the Tourism Department after a meeting with representatives of Bruhat Bangalore Hotels’ Association headed by president P.C. Rao and FKCCI president I.S. Prasad on Tuesday.
During the meeting, Bescom officials also assured the hoteliers that steps are being taken to supply quality power to hotels and restaurants at all times, with the exception of natural calamities.
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