Patna: A domestic electricity consumer in Patna’s Gulzarbagh was left shocked after his electricity account suddenly displayed a bill of Rs 2,33,24,112.75.
The unusually high amount appeared in the account of Krishna Prasad Singh, who said he became distressed after seeing the massive figure on his mobile phone. His family members intervened after his health deteriorated following the shock.
The electricity department later confirmed that the amount had appeared because of a technical problem in the billing system.
Account Initially Showed Only Rs 206
According to Krishna Prasad Singh, he checked his electricity account on September 30 and initially saw a balance of only around Rs 206.
When he checked the account again after some time, the amount displayed had changed dramatically, showing Rs 2.33 crore.
The unexpected figure caused him considerable distress. His family members helped him and gave him medication before his son approached the electricity department to report the issue.
Electricity Department Confirms Technical Glitch
Following the complaint, officials examined the consumer’s account and found that the unusually high amount was the result of a technical error in the system.
The department assured the family that the incorrect amount would be corrected.
Executive Engineer Mohammad Sajjad Ansari said the system error had caused the account to display an amount of around Rs 2.33 crore and that the issue had subsequently been rectified.
Corrected Amount Shows Rs 333.45
After the correction, the consumer’s account was updated on October 1.
The account, which had briefly displayed a liability of more than Rs 2.33 crore, subsequently showed Rs 333.45.
The correction brought relief to Krishna Prasad Singh and his family, who had raised the complaint with the electricity department after noticing the unusually high amount.
Consumer Seeks Prevention of Similar Errors
After the bill was corrected, Singh expressed relief but also urged the electricity department to ensure that such technical errors do not recur.
The incident has highlighted the impact that errors in digital billing systems can have on consumers, particularly when unusually large amounts are displayed without warning.
The department has attributed the incident to a system-related error and corrected the consumer’s account following the complaint.
