Ludhiana, Oct. 31 -- Amid PSPCL's push for mandatory installation of smart meters, residents across Ludhiana have raised concerns over recurring technical glitches, alleging that frequent faults are leading to inflated bills and inaccurate readings. They said meters often display erratic data, record inconsistent power usage and result in repeated billing discrepancies.

Krishan Pal, a resident of Meherban, said, "I got installed a smart meter at my home in July. For the first two months, the billing was accurate which was 220 and 80 units, respectively. However, in October, I did not receive my bill and the meter started showing jumping units. When the meter reader checked it, he disconnected the power supply for inspection, but the unit...