New Delhi : Under the direct instructions of Delhi Power Minister Ashish Sood, a major crackdown on electricity theft has been launched across the national capital. The initiative has already delivered a significant turnaround in Kamruddin Nagar, one of Delhi's most notorious high-loss areas.
Kamruddin Nagar, located in the Mundka Division of West Delhi, had witnessed power losses rising to an alarming 56.4 per cent. This widespread electricity theft was causing an estimated annual financial loss of Rs 24.4 crore.
The primary offenders were illegal commercial and industrial units that had been secretly drawing electricity through unauthorised connections from overhead power lines.
To address the issue, Power Minister Ashish Sood directed discoms and enforcement agencies to take strict and decisive action against power theft. As part of the drive, a major enforcement raid was conducted. This action alone has successfully prevented the theft of more than 10 million units (kWh) of electricity.
The impact was immediate and substantial. Electricity theft at the targeted locations has already declined by approximately 34,000 units per day. To ensure that these gains are sustained, the government has ordered the complete replacement of vulnerable power lines with secure, theft-resistant armoured cables.
Following the success of the operation in Kamruddin Nagar, the Delhi Government is implementing similar enforcement measures in other high-loss areas across the city. Authorities are deploying additional police personnel for confidential raids and leveraging advanced data analytics to identify and act against electricity theft in other divisions.
This rampant electricity theft flourished under the previous AAP Government, which failed to take effective corrective measures despite repeated warnings. By turning a blind eye to these illegal commercial operations, the previous administration allowed substantial financial losses to accumulate year after year, placing an unnecessary burden on the public exchequer.
This administrative failure amounted to a betrayal of the interests of Delhi's honest taxpayers. While law-abiding consumers paid their electricity bills diligently, large-scale power theft was allowed to continue unchecked.
The Delhi Government reiterates its commitment to providing reliable, affordable, and uninterrupted 24x7 power to honest consumers. Power Minister Ashish Sood has warned that illegal commercial establishments involved in electricity theft will face immediate disconnection of power supply, stringent penalties, and sealing of their premises.