The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), telecom industry with the support of the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) have been working to support the Maharashtra government in facilitating the deployment of telecom infrastructure in the state. One of the biggest issues that the telecom service providers (TSPs) have raised is that the telecom infra policy of multiple states doesn’t align with the Indian Telegraphy RoW Rules 2016. One such state where there is misalignment is Maharashtra.
DoT Requests Maharashtra Chief Secretary to Intervene Personally
The telecom industry is actively focusing on the right of way (RoW) issues such as Reduction and Rationalisation of Restoration Charges with respect to the deployment of the underground fibre, grant permission to the telcos to go ahead with the self-restoration process, withdrawal of One Time Access charges levied in Mumbai, a single-window online clearance mechanism, and more. “On the request of the industry, recently, Sh. Rajaraman, IAS, Secretary, DoT took up this issue with Sh. Chakravarty, IAS, Chief Secretary Maharashtra and have requested him to intervene personally and instruct the concerned Authorities to review the state Telecom Infrastructure Policy (issued on 17th February 2018) and align the same with Indian Telegraph RoW Rules 2016 (as amended from Time to Time),” said COAI. DoT LSA Head, Maharashtra has also requested the Secretary, Maharashtra for aligning the state policy with the RoW rules 2016. COAI in its release said that Mumbai and Pune have one of the highest RoW related charges when it comes to Access charges or Restoration charges. “In Mumbai, some of the Municipal Corporations are charging the one Time Access Charges ranging from Rs. 100 to Rs. 1700 per meter for laying fibre. This is over and above the admin Charges of Rs. 1000 per Km prescribed in the Maharashtra policy,” COAI added. The requests are made to ensure that Maharashtra stays on its course to become digitally advanced.
