MADURAI: The Tangedco has merged around 1,800 commercial connections and as many as 506 domestic connections in Madurai city in the past four months. The action was taken after the officials found that several families had availed themselves of more than one service connection.
This was the same case with many single-building complexes. Due to this merger activity, Tangedco has already earned Rs 36 lakh extra in electricity charges. Starting May 27 this year, the officials inspected as many as 1,114 service connections taken under the domestic category, and 506 of these connections were merged.
Likewise, the staff examined 24,774 service connections within commercial establishments, and 1,803 of them were merged. TNEB Retired Employees Union Deputy Secretary V Pichairajan said, "The power utility is taking such steps to rescue itself from the huge financial burden it is reeling under. The action might come as a blow to those small families who live with other small families in the same house.
A single connection for all of them means that each of the families doesn't exclusively get 100 units of electricity free. However, commercial shops indulging in these practices cannot be allowed. The merger exercise is expected to continue." Speaking to TNIE, an official from Tangedco (Madurai) said that 63 and 48 domestic category connections were merged in Keelavasal and Palanganatham respectively.
"Also, as many as 24,774 service connections under the commercial category were inspected and most of the improper connections were predominantly found in four different locations in the city," he said.
"Around 301 service connections related to shops near Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple were merged. Similarly, 120 service connections belonging to single shops in Keelavasal, and 170 service connections in Tamil Sangam areas were merged," the official added.