Karnataka Launches HT Mitra Portal for 18,000+ BESCOM High-Tension Users
Synopsis
Karnataka's Energy Minister K. J. George launched HT Mitra, a first-of-its-kind digital grievance portal built by BESCOM's own engineers for over 18,000 high-tension consumers. The platform offers real-time complaint tracking, automated SMS alerts, and a centralised accountability dashboard, a rare in-house tech win for a public sector utility.
Key Takeaways
Karnataka Energy Minister K.
George launched the HT Mitra portal on April 23, 2025 , at BESCOM's corporate office in Bengaluru.
The portal was developed entirely by BESCOM's in-house engineers , not through third-party contracts, serving as a cost-efficient model for public utilities.
Over 18,000 High Tension (HT) consumers , including industries, IT firms, and commercial establishments, will benefit from the platform.
The portal offers real-time complaint tracking , a ticketing system , automated SMS updates, and direct communication between consumers and BESCOM officials.
A centralised dashboard monitored by BESCOM Managing Director N.
Shivashankar ensures top-level oversight, with SOP-based delay alerts enforcing accountability.
Additional Chief Secretary Gaurav Gupta linked the initiative to Karnataka's Ease of Doing Business commitment and timely industrial grievance redressal.
Bengaluru, April 23: Karnataka's Energy Minister K. J. George on Thursday, April 23, officially launched BESCOM's (Bengaluru Electricity Supply Company) new digital grievance redressal platform, HT Mitra, designed exclusively for High Tension (HT) consumers across the BESCOM jurisdiction. Built entirely by BESCOM's in-house engineers, the portal aims to bring transparency, speed, and accountability to electricity complaint resolution for over 18,000 HT consumers in Karnataka.
What Is HT Mitra and How Does It Work
The HT Mitra portal is a comprehensive, end-to-end digital platform that allows HT consumers to register service requests and complaints using just their phone number. Once logged in, users can raise tickets, monitor complaint status in real time, and receive automated SMS updates at every stage of resolution, eliminating the need to visit BESCOM offices or rely solely on the 1912 helpline.
The platform facilitates direct digital communication between consumers and BESCOM officials. A centralised dashboard, overseen by the BESCOM Managing Director, ensures top-level monitoring of all pending and resolved complaints. Built-in Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) alerts are triggered automatically in case of resolution delays, enforcing accountability at every level.
Field officers are equipped with relevant case information through the portal, enabling faster on-ground action. The system tracks who has taken what action on each complaint, making the entire process fully auditable and transparent.
What the Government Said
Speaking at the launch held at BESCOM's corporate office in Bengaluru, Energy Minister K. J. George highlighted that HT consumers previously had no mechanism to track their grievances in real time. He stated that the government's priority is to provide quality power supply to consumers and that technology is being leveraged to ensure swift response and resolution of issues.
He praised BESCOM engineers for developing the platform independently, calling it a model for consumer-friendly innovation in the public sector. The minister reaffirmed the government's commitment to supporting such digital initiatives.
Gaurav Gupta, Additional Chief Secretary, Energy Department, underscored the portal's significance for Karnataka's industrial and commercial ecosystem. He said industries, IT-Biotechnology companies, and commercial establishments that consume large volumes of electricity will benefit from this technology-driven, transparent system, adding that the initiative reflects the government's commitment to ease of doing business and quick grievance redressal.
N. Shivashankar, Managing Director of BESCOM, added that the portal's full transparency means officials are directly accountable for every action taken on a complaint, leading to faster and more responsible resolution of consumer issues.
Who Benefits and Why It Matters
The 18,000+ HT consumers under BESCOM's jurisdiction, including large-scale industries, IT and biotechnology firms, hospitals, and commercial establishments, are the primary beneficiaries. These entities consume high volumes of electricity and have historically faced longer resolution timelines due to the complexity of their connections.
For businesses, unresolved electricity complaints translate directly into operational downtime and financial losses. A real-time, accountable digital system reduces that risk significantly. This is particularly relevant for Bengaluru, which hosts one of India's largest concentrations of tech companies and industrial units.
This comes amid Karnataka's broader push to improve its Ease of Doing Business rankings, where reliable and responsive utility services are a critical parameter. Streamlining electricity grievance redressal for major consumers could positively reflect in the state's upcoming assessments.
Context and Broader Significance
Notably, India's power distribution sector has long struggled with consumer grievance backlogs. While residential consumers have seen incremental improvements through apps and helplines, HT consumers, who contribute disproportionately to utility revenues, have often been underserved in terms of dedicated digital infrastructure.
The fact that this platform was developed in-house by BESCOM engineers, rather than through expensive third-party contracts, is a noteworthy cost-efficiency achievement for a public sector utility. It signals a shift toward internal capability-building within state electricity boards, a model that other DISCOMs across India could replicate.
Karnataka's energy sector has been under scrutiny over power supply reliability and billing disputes in recent years. The HT Mitra portal represents a proactive, technology-led response to those concerns, though its true impact will depend on the speed and quality of grievance resolution once it scales operationally.
What to Expect Next
With the portal now live, BESCOM is expected to onboard all 18,000+ HT consumers progressively. The centralised dashboard under the MD's oversight will be a key indicator of whether accountability mechanisms translate into measurable improvements in resolution timelines. Stakeholders and industry bodies in Bengaluru will closely watch the portal's performance over the next few quarters as a benchmark for digital utility governance in India.
Point of View
Yet until now they had no dedicated digital channel for grievance redressal, a striking accountability deficit. The fact that BESCOM engineers built this in-house without outsourcing is a quiet rebuke to the culture of expensive IT contracts that drain public utility budgets. If the portal delivers on its transparency promise, it could become a replicable model for DISCOMs nationwide, but that hinges entirely on whether Karnataka's energy bureaucracy has the will to honour the accountability it has now publicly committed to.
NationPress
4 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the HT Mitra portal launched by BESCOM?
HT Mitra is a digital grievance redressal and service request portal developed by BESCOM's in-house engineers for High Tension (HT) electricity consumers in Karnataka. It allows consumers to register complaints, track their status in real time, and receive automated SMS updates at every stage of resolution.
Who can use the BESCOM HT Mitra portal?
The HT Mitra portal is designed exclusively for High Tension (HT) consumers under BESCOM's jurisdiction, including industries, IT and biotechnology companies, hospitals, and large commercial establishments. Over 18,000 HT consumers across the Bengaluru Electricity Supply Company's service area are eligible to use it.
How does the HT Mitra portal improve on the old complaint system?
Previously, HT consumers had to call the 1912 helpline or visit BESCOM offices in person to register complaints, with no way to track grievance status in real time. HT Mitra integrates the entire complaint process into a single digital platform with real-time tracking, automated alerts, and a centralised accountability dashboard.
Who launched the HT Mitra portal and when?
The HT Mitra portal was launched by Karnataka Energy Minister K. J. George on April 23, 2025, at BESCOM's corporate office in Bengaluru. The event was also attended by Additional Chief Secretary Gaurav Gupta and BESCOM Managing Director N. Shivashankar.
What makes the HT Mitra portal unique compared to other utility complaint systems?
HT Mitra was developed entirely by BESCOM's own engineers, making it a rare in-house digital initiative by a public sector utility in India. The portal features a centralised MD-monitored dashboard, SOP-based delay alerts, and full action-level transparency ensuring accountability at every step of complaint resolution.
