LUCKNOW, Oct. 9 -- Electricity consumers in Uttar Pradesh can now access several routine services through WhatsApp without visiting power offices, with the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) launching a 24x7 chatbot across its five distribution companies from October 5, officials said. The service allows consumers to view and download electricity bills, make payments, register and track complaints and generate bills through self-billing if a regular bill has not been issued, they added. The chatbot is available to consumers of Purvanchal, Madhyanchal, Paschimanchal, Dakshinanchal and Kesco, making the service available across the state. MVVNL managing director Sandeep Bhagia said the service was free of cost and available round the clock. For consumers under MVVNL, the WhatsApp number is 7669003409. Consumers can use the service by saving the designated WhatsApp number, sending "Hi" and selecting the required option from the chatbot menu. They need to keep their 10-digit electricity connection number handy, and the service is linked to the consumer's registered mobile number. One of the key features is self-billing. If a regular bill has not been generated, consumers can send a photograph of their meter reading through WhatsApp and generate the bill through the system. The platform also allows consumers to register complaints related to power outages, voltage fluctuations, billing discrepancies and other supply issues, and track their status through the same interface....