THANE, Nov. 2 -- The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) has issued notices to several residential societies in Dombivli's MIDC area, warning that their electricity supply could be disconnected within 24 hours if they do not allow the replacement of old meters with smart meters. The notices were served on Friday, although power supply to the societies had not been disconnected till Sunday. The move has sparked opposition from residents, who have been resisting the installation of smart meters for the past six to seven months, fearing that the new devices will lead to a sharp increase in their electricity bills. Several societies have kept their meter rooms locked to prevent MSEDCL officials and its appointed agency, M/s AESL, from accessing the meters. Smart meters are digital devices that record electricity consumption in real time and enable remote monitoring and disconnection. Once a consumer clears pending dues, the power supply can be restored automatically within two minutes. Amey Parkar, secretary of Sai Deep CHS, one of the societies to receive the notice, said residents were being forced to accept the new meters despite chief minister Devendra Fadnavis announcing in May that their installation was not mandatory. "MSEDCL officials are illegally forcing us to replace our meters with smart meters. The chief minister had announced in May this year that it was not mandatory. Then why are officials forcing us to get them replaced? We have no objection to consumers whose meters are faulty getting them changed, but why should all society members be forced to do so?" he said. Parkar alleged that MSEDCL officials had neither discussed the replacement plan with the societies nor sought residents' consent, leading them to lock their meter rooms. He also claimed that there had been instances of officials entering societies in the afternoon, when most residents were asleep, and replacing meters without the flat owners' consent. Raju Nalawade, a social worker in Dombivli, said residents were being encouraged to opt for the replacement by being told that the installation was currently free of cost, but could involve charges and additional paperwork later. "MSEDCL officials have been telling us that the meters are being replaced free of cost now, but that consumers may have to pay for it later and go through considerable paperwork. They are using this argument to convince people to get the meters changed immediately," he said. MSEDCL maintains that resistance to smart meters stems from misinformation, assuring consumers that the new meters will accurately monitor electricity usage without inflating bills. Jagdish Bodke, additional executive engineer for MSEDCL Kalyan, confirmed that notices were issued to MIDC residential zone societies for locking meter rooms and refusing official access. He stated that opposition is driven by anti-smart meter propaganda, often pushed by individuals consuming electricity illegally through unauthorized connections. Despite official follow-ups, several Dombivli MIDC societies continue to block access, even where residents had previously requested replacements for faulty or malfunctioning meters. Bodke clarified that meter replacements require consumer consent and will not occur without permission. Smart meter adoption is already widespread across the region; of the Kalyan division's 391,000 electricity consumers, over 181,000 have transitioned....