Well I have real bad experience with these guys, may that be Low voltage, or any short circuit complaint, or meter box change or EB Billing. Anything, I have to get ready for the worst.
Now here is are some of the Incidents and list of worst Experiences I have come across every time with TNEB -
- Low Voltage Problem -
This problem has become common in Chennai and very common in Outskirts of Chennai city and very very worst at other parts of Tamil Nadu. We usually come across this Low Voltage problem atleast once or twice a months. AC won't turn on, Water motor won't work and Tube light will go Dim. Well we are lucky most of the time and do not get affected the worst because we have 3 phase line and most of time 2 of the phase goes down. And we have to run the whole big house under just one Phase. And most of time this happens at night, when we usually use the AC to sleep.
Now thing about those families and houses who only have one phase connection! Its nightmare of them. Because of this we sometime don'e get proper sleep at night. Now what about those suffering families, they work hard day long and at night they have fight with this problem.
And when we call them, luckily sometimes they pick up the call, if its between 10 am to 10 pm and send the linemen within 15 to 30 minutes, but its between 10pm to 10am, then its just like we see in Movie "Aniyan". No response. The most worst is during the mornings. They rudely say "Sorry No linemen here, try at 10pm".
- Diwali on their Transformers -
Just like Low Voltage problems, this Transformers Burst is an another serious problem which we come across almost every time there is rain or heavy winds.
The Transformer is located very close to our neighbor house and when even this burst appears, it produces a lots of spark, creating dangerous risk to the houses near by.
My Neighbors have complained about this danger to them and requested them to remove the transformer from there and set up at a safer location, but they never did that.
And just about 4 months ago, during a sudden heavy rain, the same spark burst happened. Voltage dropped and started to fluctuate and small sparks continues. And when I trying calling them, I got "Number not in use"! Worst. Really Worst.
- 9am to 5pm Power shutdown for maintenance -
This is an another worst ethics for TNEB. Previously This maintenance was sheduled on a day, almost every month. The Power is Shut down by 9 am for so called maintenance and the power has to be restored back by 5pm.
But I really doubt that they do this maintenance.
Maintenance means what - On this day, They should visit all the Transformers available in the Area and inspect it and study its condition and re certify it. They should cut down the Tree Branches which is actually touching the main power lines. They should replace the fused up street lights and changed the Damages Fuses as well. And much more. But I watched every times since I ever known about this day and they never do this Maintenance.
And when they do cut the power for maintenance by 9 am, they never restore it by 5 pm. They mostly restore is back only by 6:30 pm or even 7 pm sometimes.
If they would have done this maintenance regularly, then why the problems like Transformers Burst, Low Voltage problems would arise. Such a lazy people.
This is an another biggest stressed problem I have faced with these Guys recently.
And this is the incident - Well my house has "Two 3 phases connection". A 3 phase for ground floor which we are using it normally and the second three phase, which is for 1st floor. We also have an another separate 1 phase for Water Motors(so Total of 3 connections).
The first was for Tenants and we rented a family back in 2004, but they left in 2007. Since then we did not rent anyone at first floor and so the first floor is not in use. Since the 1st floor is not in use, the meter never run and I get minimum reading. Since 2012, these EB guys started asking me "Why you are always getting minimum reading" and every-time I reply them saying "Sir, first floor is not in use but we are using it personally. Limited use". But they rudely said, "Use it or else we will cut the line!".
Then in 2013 end, we started to use the first floor by running lights and fan daily just to run the meter, to show them the meter is running! But after one month of use, surprisingly we noticed that the 1st floor 3 phase meter is not running! So then, I called my electrician and checked it.! And he tested and told that "the Meter is dead".
So now we have to do a change of meter. So I went to EB office along with my Electrician and submitted a request and they said, they will replace the meter in less than 3 months. But this was also the time when the old meter was replaced to Digital meters to all the consumers. So my Electrician advised me to change all the 3 meter including the Faulty one to Digital meter at once.! They said, they will replace in 3 months, but the meter was not changed until 2015 may! And I was just paying them the minimum amount, which is Rs.20. The news media said that "No money should be collected to Change to new meter"..
Then in may 2015, I called my electrician again and requested him to help out and since he has lots of sources with TNEB, he arranged with one them and our meters was changed to new Digital meters on June 2015. But for changing this meter to digital ones, They charged me Rs.1200! Well Rs.100 meter is acceptable as Tips but Rs.400 for a meter! Its a Day light robbery.
Its is a duty to change the meter to new one and that why every consumer pays the extra "Advance money" every year. But even after warning from Govt and media, these guys charge illegally.
- Crappy EB office and rude staffs -
Well out of about 10 staffs at Any TNEB office in the State, there will be only about 1 or 2 would be good ones. All others are Rude and impolite. This is my experience -
1) Just like MTC bus conductors, They will ask us to only bring change money or exact money to be paid their. Once I had to pay Rs.5060. I had Ten 500 rupee notes, a 100 rupees note and two Rs.50 notes. So I gave them ten 500 rupees notes and tow 50 rupee note, but they gave back one 50 rupee note and said "We don't have change, give us Rs.10 exact". I asked the shops near by but no one had. And just for this 10 rupees, I had to come back to home and bring it. Good that I came there in bike. What about those who came to there by walk!
2) On another incident, I came there to pay the money. But after seeing the same Reading with one connection(the 1st floor which was not in use), the rude officer, bashed me and said "I won't accept you payment. We will send some official to confirm that the 1st floor is not in use and then you can pay along with any fine". I waited for 5 days but no one came.! 20th was the last date to pay and I actually went there to pay on 15th. Then I went there on last day and paid the bill with the help of a officer, who knows me well.!
3) The payment counter is always crowded. If there are 5 customers in line before you, then one has to wait for over 40 minutes to get the bill paid. And paying the bill in summers in this condition is really worst.
4) The Phone line never works when there is emergency. And if we get response, most of the time a lazy careless reply is given. Only rare time, a good reply is given.
5) And on a Third Incident happened on 17th Nov. The Reading was taken on 13th of Nov and on the card on the Reading was noted and but the Charge of Reading was not given and they asked me to come on 16th Nov. I could not go on 16th as Chennai was completely filled with flood waters. So I went on 17th Nov, just to get the Amount/charge for the Reading. There was only one counter working there. And I asked the Counter guy to just fill the amount in the card and he said - "Don't you have sense, can't you see there is a line"! I said thanks and got back, because I don't argue with brainless idiots.
- Cutting the Tree Branch touching EB line -
Once the branch of neighbours tree was touching the main line and due to this, we started getting low voltage and fluctuation. But after few days, it also started giving spark!(Happened on a Friday 11 am) After this I called them and request them to send a line man to solve this issue and this was the conversation -
-> Me:(First call at 11 am) Hello, Our Neighborhood's Tree is touching the main line right overhead in front of my house and its giving heavy sparks and fluctuation. Its very dangerous, so come soon.
-> TNEB staff: Hmm ok we will send.
And they cut the line. Few hours passed but they didnt come.
Then I called then again a few hours later.
-> Me:(Second call at 3 pm) Hello, I had called up by 11 am today to attend the spark coming from main line due to tree Branch interference. Why no one landed up.?
-> TNEB Staff: Sir, our line men are busy out here. So as soon as they arrive, we will ask them to attend to you.
And again the line was cut. The rest of day passed but no one came!
Next day I waited till 11 am but since no one came, I decided to call them one more time.
-> Me:(third call at 11am, Saturday) Hello, are you going to send your lineman or not. Its so dangerous out here sir.
-> TNEB staff:(very careless answer) Sir, we no tree cutting men here as of now, so we can't help.
-> Me: Atleast send you linemen and turn off the main line, so that we ourselves can cut the branches!
-> TNEB staff: .(no response).
And line was abruptly cut.!
Then at 1 pm, the power in our locality was automatically cut. We waited for 15 minutes and power did not return. So we(i and my neighbor) took the great risk and cut the branches pretty swiftly before the power came(the risk was because the Tree branch was touching the mainline directly and tree was Drumstick leaves trees which is always mostly wet and has the dangerous of giving electric shock).
And even after that, No one from TNEB never came till date! This is what they do during emergencies.
1) Their Tariffs, really high and funny.
2) EB Reading - Done only after 10 days every 2 months. The Last date to pay the bill is 20th of the month. And if no one comes to take reading, we have to take the reading ourselves and take it to them and get the details of bill amount. And sometime they due say "No we won't accept your reading. Go back, our staff will come".!
3) The line man ways seem to be half drunken. Well I am not sure directly but that can be told even just by looking at their eyes and their response.
4) If the linemen attends for faults at nights/dark, They don't bring any torch with them. Not even protective gloves. And they do the fault work in complete dark. I sometime wonder what they are doing in the dark! And that why I think, the line goes fault frequently.
1) Only In the Recent times, I saw some good TNEB Staff who are really fast, polite and helpful. So now I don't have to wait in line for long time to get my bills paid because the billing section is done faster. And if there is any query, they politely explain to us. They all seem to be new young employees.!
2) A very few linemen who attend for faults, don't expect money.(But we give them some tips, may be just Rs.50).
Verdict -
Overall, TNEB is really an unprofessional and unethical organisation belonging to Govt of Tamil Nadu. Even org like India Post are better than there Rude Junks.
I am also going prep video on these idiot and put up on Youtube, so that public should know about the level of TNEB.
- Thank You! We appreciate your effort.
