Maharashtra Congress Protests Adani Group's Smart Meter Installations

The Maharashtra Congress staged a protest at Bandra Kurla Complex, demanding the halt of smart meter installations by the Adani Group and a rollback of increased electricity tariffs. The protest saw various party leaders and was eventually halted by police. A delegation later met Adani Electricity representatives.

The Maharashtra Congress on Thursday organized a protest at the Bandra Kurla Complex, demanding an immediate stop to the Adani Group's smart meter installations.

The opposition also raised concerns over the recent increase in electricity tariffs in the state. Maharashtra Congress' working president, Naseem Khan, accused Adani Electricity of exploiting Mumbaikars through inflated tariffs masked as smart meter upgrades.

''We demand that smart meter installation be stopped and hike in electricity tariff be immediately rolled back,'' Khan stated.

The protest's 'morcha' was intercepted by police forces. Subsequently, a delegation led by the Leader of Opposition in the assembly, Vijay Wadettiwar, engaged in talks with Adani Electricity representatives.

Key figures like Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad, Rajya Sabha MP Chandrakant Handore, and MLC Bhai Jagtap were present at the protest.

In the previous year, Adani Group secured two significant contracts worth Rs 13,888 crore from a state-owned discom for smart meter installations, according to an official communication. This was part of six tenders allocated by the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL).