ગુજરાતી
English
Ahmedabad city’s electricity bill is ₹400 crore
Ahmedabad, September 30, 2025
153 municipalities have no money. They are in no position to spend.
In March 2025, the government provided loans of ₹190 crore to 53 municipalities to pay their electricity bills.
57 municipalities in Gujarat had unpaid electricity bills of ₹311 crore in 2024. Yet, politicians and officials did not shut down 1,200 ACs. The lavish spending of politicians and officials… The municipalities of Bhuj, Mandvi, Porbandar, Halvad, Kutiyana, Petlad, Padra, Limbdi, Bavla, Bareja, Nadiad, Radhanpur, Deesa, Dahegam, Wadali, Sidhpur, Harij, Palanpur, Kalol, Manavadar, Sutrapada, Babra, Morbi, and Dabhoi in Gujarat are financially incapable of paying their electricity bills.
Since some cities remain in darkness, their electricity connections are not disconnected.
Electricity bills have been waived in gram panchayats. Sarpanchs and talatis in panchayats have started using ACs.
In 2024, 125 municipalities in Gujarat became financially bankrupt and had to pay ₹915 crore for electricity consumption.
Ahmedabad
To save the public from hard work, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation is wasting the public’s hard-earned money. The annual electricity bill was ₹320 crore in 2022-23, rising to ₹355 crore in 2023-24. Despite the corporation having a solar power system, electricity bills continue to rise.
There is zero frugality in the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation administration. Crores of rupees are wasted every year on festivals and celebrations by the BJP. The elected wing and administration use ACs, fans, and lights indiscriminately. As a result, electricity consumption is increasing.
The electricity bill was ₹320 crore in 2022-23. It was ₹355 crore in 2023-24. The electricity bill has increased to ₹400 crore in 2024-25. It is expected to rise to ₹500 crore in two years.
In the offices of officials and the elected wing, two AC machines, fans, and lights run continuously. Whether leaders and officials are present or absent in the office, the AC machines run continuously. Due to which the cost of electricity bills is continuously increasing.
There is zero evidence of austerity in the name of street lights, hospitals, swimming pools, property departments, etc. The officials and the ruling party, who collect taxes from citizens through fines, are proving negligent in this matter.
There is zero evidence of austerity.
The North West region charges Rs. 2 lakh per year,
Rs. 15 lakh in the South West,
Rs. 21 lakh in the West,
Rs. 12 lakh in the North,
Rs. 13.85 lakh in the South.
At Danapith headquarters in Ahmedabad, the annual bill for ACs, fans, and lights alone is Rs. 1.10 crore.
2021
At Danapith headquarters in Ahmedabad, all zone offices and ward offices combined, Rs. 18 crore was paid as electricity bills every month. The total bill for the year was Rs. 216 crore.
A circular was issued urging strict control of electricity consumption in offices, but it has proved to be just paper.
The Mayor, Commissioner, officials, and Deputy Commissioner reside in Block C of the headquarters located at Danpith. 204 1.5-ton and 2-ton air conditioners have been installed in this block.
Fridges and water purifiers have also been installed.
In addition, refrigerators and water purifiers have also been installed.
In addition to the city’s departmental offices, the Commissioner has issued immediate instructions to senior officials of the School Board, AMTs, M.J. Library, and all hospitals.
During holidays or when officials are not present in the office, all electrical appliances, including lights, fans, and air conditioners, should be switched off and unnecessary use should be avoided.
Claim
The AMC currently sources 14% of its energy from renewable sources and has announced plans to generate 43% of its electricity by December 2025.
In 2024, the AMC’s annual electricity bill will exceed ₹50 lakh. Street lighting consumes 12% of the total electricity, at a cost of ₹300 crore. Water supply consumes 68% of the electricity. The authority claims to consume 16% of its electricity for the sewage system.
213,000 Electric Poles
A total of 213,000 street light poles have been installed along the BRTS corridor, including 207,000 street light poles, 245 high mast poles, and 6,000 LED poles.
Complaints can be lodged by calling 1800-1025-113/1800-1212-54781 and SMS to 9821579436 if streetlights are out of order.
Contractors
The lighting department awards contracts for installing and maintaining street light poles to successful bidders.
The contract for the operation and maintenance of street light poles was awarded to a company called Citylum India on January 2, 2020. Three months later, there has been a delay in issuing a new tender. Nighttime darkness still persists.
The Commissioner directed lighting department officials to conduct night visits to various areas of the city to check whether streetlights are working and reduce public inconvenience.
Four lighting department officials were charged in July 2025 in connection with a scam involving tenders for the operation and maintenance of streetlights.
25 Crore Expenditure
In 2019-20, ₹25 crore was spent on operating streetlights in Ahmedabad city.
However, there was no breakdown of the number of poles. Crores of rupees were spent on repairing and relocating streetlights.
Streetlights Out
In the last four months of October 2024, ₹25 crore was spent in Ahmedabad city.
48,000 complaints were received about streetlight outages. Every month, 12,000 lights remain out. Public utilities have completely failed to maintain streetlights. Streetlight outages lead to incidents like dog bites, chain snatching, and accidents. In many areas, people sleep at night.
Lights remain out.
Thus, the BJP mayor and municipal commissioner themselves sit in AC, but ignore providing streetlights to the public. In 2022, 25,000 streetlights and 6,000 BRTS lanes were upgraded to smart streetlights. Yet, streetlights remain out.
Complaints in Five Years
By April 2025, the administration received 480,000 complaints about streetlights.
Despite spending a whopping ₹119 crore on installing streetlight poles, there are complaints that streetlights remain out of order in many areas due to lack of maintenance.
2.07 lakh street light poles, 245 high mast poles, and 6,000 LED poles have been installed along the BRTS corridor, bringing the total to 2.13 lakh street light poles.
A massive expenditure of ₹119.48 crore has been incurred on this.
478,072 complaints of power outages were registered.
102,411 complaints in the South Zone
94,853 in the West Zone
66,771 in the North Zone
59,991 in the Central Zone
58,312 in the East Zone
57,526 in the North West Zone
38,206 complaints were received in the South West Zone.
Solar Energy
Solar Energy Faras
The solar power panel system is 5.5 MW in capacity. It has been installed at 38 locations at a cost of ₹29 crore. This generated 94.36 lakh units of electricity and cost ₹6.13 crore. However, electricity bills have increased. In addition to the headquarters at Danpith, other zone offices and BRTS stops have also been equipped with solar rooftops and panels.
Night’s Dream
A plan to install solar streetlights in public places in the city has been shelved. Batteries are stolen and vandalized. Solar streetlights are no longer installed.
This decision was taken when Gujarat had a 46% share of rooftop solar power installations in the country by the end of 2024.
The Ahmedabad Municipal Government wanted to achieve 100% solar power by 2030. This contradicts the AMC’s stated goal of achieving renewable energy.
A contract worth ₹3 crore was approved for the installation of glass-reinforced polymer (GRP) streetlight poles at parks and ponds.
A panel of experts from the Electrical Research and Development Association was formed by the Streetlight Department to draft the SOP. (Google translation from Gujarati)
