Delhi waives water bill late fees for 16 lakh residents as Diwali relief, automating adjustments for past arrears.

The Delhi government is set to waive late payment surcharges on water bills for domestic consumers as a one-time Diwali relief, following in-principle approval and nearing completion of a software upgrade to automate bill recalculations. The move targets around 16 lakh of 27 lakh consumers affected by inflated bills in recent years, many of whom stopped paying due to disputes. The scheme, which excludes commercial users and large debtors, aims to ease financial strain and boost bill collections by about Rs 2,500 crore for the Delhi Jal Board. Once implemented, adjustments will be automatic, requiring no office visits, and will cover past arrears and late fees, though future non-payment will not be forgiven.