Hyderabad: The Hyderabad water board’s One-Time Settlement (OTS) scheme for the payment of long-pending water bill arrears is nearing its final deadline. The residents have until November 30 to pay their outstanding dues under the scheme which allows them to clear their bills without incurring interest or late fees.
The scheme which began in October faced challenges due to festival season travel and financial burdens, preventing many from taking full advantage of the offer. In response to public appeals, the government extended the deadline by a month but no further extensions will be granted.
After the deadline, the residents will face penalties along with interest on unpaid bills.
The Hyderabad water board officials have announced that strict actions including the disconnection of water services will be enforced for those who fail to settle their dues.
To facilitate payments, the residents can pay their bills through various payment methods including Hyderabad water offices, Me-Seva, AP Online Centers, Phone Pay, Google Pay, Paytm, NEFT, RTGS, and the official website.
A QR code is also available for users to check their dues, payment amounts and applicable concessions.
Hyderabad water board officials are urging residents to take advantage of the remaining time and clear their pending bills before the scheme expires.
Earlier, the officials were instructed to go door-to-door to create awareness among the people about the OTS-2024 and to ensure that the bills are collected with the regular meter readers.
The executive director Mayank Mittal underscored the importance of addressing long-standing unpaid bills due to legal issues. He instructed chief general managers to identify such consumers and work on resolving their problems promptly. Further, general managers were also advised to form special collection gangs and implement new strategies to boost the scheme’s revenue.
Hyderabad water board holds door to door campaign over OTS scheme
Rs 1,706 cr in pending bills under Hyderabad water board
According to HMWS&SB’s managing director, Ashok Reddy, Rs 1706 crore in outstanding water bills is due to the Water Board. To encourage customers to clear their dues, the OTS-2024 scheme offers a waiver of Rs 1189 crore in accumulated interest.
Of the 13.50 lakh drinking water connections in Hyderabad, about 7 lakh customers are eligible to benefit from the OTS scheme for clearing pending water bills. This includes those who have not previously taken advantage of the scheme. For those who have, a 50 percent waiver on the remaining interest is still available.
