Why should I pay this bill?

Asks dumbfounded city businessman, who received a Rs 253 bill for a telephone connection that does not even exist

Why should I pay this bill?

For over seven months, Ambedkar Road resident Sheikh Latif Maqsood (51), ran from pillar to post to get a new telephone connection. And the telephone company acknowledged his efforts, albeit in a rather ironic form.

Maqsood was handed over a bill of Rs 253 for a telephone connection that didn't exist.

Speaking to MiD DAY, Maqsood said, "The ordeal started in April when I shifted my residence from East Street to Ambedkar Road. After moving, I had put in an application for a new BSNL telephone connection."

Fresh application
After filing the application (No 700529066 dated April 1, 2009), Maqsood met Parshuram Dukare, junior engineer at Ambedkar Road office who assured him that his connection would be active in a week to 10 days.

However, Maqsood alleged that despite repeated visits to the BSNL office and attempts to meet the engineer and others concerned officials, the connection wasn't installed for seven months.

Fed up, Maqsood got his previous telephone connection (from another company) transferred. And that's when the shocker arrived on November 18.

"The bill that I got for telephone no 26052336 under consumer no 2010501187 of Rs 253 was for the period between October 24 to 31, 2009. How can I be presented a bill when I never got a connection? I have spent so much time and effort in this, with no solution in sight," he said.

Incomplete process
When a person applies for a BSNL telephone connection, he has to submit proof of residence. Also, the company officials perform bona-fide checks and only after that, a new connection is allotted.

However, in Maqsood's case, no verification of residence was done. Due to incomplete procedures, Maqsood wasn't even issued a telephone line for seven months.