Gandhinagar: An internal report from the Urban Development Department of the Gujarat government has revealed that the total amount of pending electricity bills across more than 128 municipalities in the state has reached a staggering ₹509 crore. The report highlights that most of these unpaid bills are related to water works and street lighting services, with the Saurashtra region bearing the brunt of the outstanding payments.

According to the data, the municipalities served by the Paschim Gujarat Vij Company Limited (PGVCL) in Saurashtra and Kutch have accumulated over ₹323 crore in unpaid electricity dues. The growing arrears have raised concerns over the financial sustainability of local governments in these regions, especially as the dues continue to pile up, affecting municipal operations.

One of the key factors behind the large pending amounts is the substantial cost of electricity for municipal services like water supply and street lighting, which are heavily reliant on power from the grid. As a result, several municipalities have struggled to meet payment deadlines, leading to growing arrears. However, the situation has been somewhat mitigated by the installation of solar lights in many municipalities.