The Maharashtra Telecom Infrastructure Policy (MahaTip) will ensure ease of doing business and grant time-bound permissions to telecom majors for set up of telecommunication cell sites, base stations, laying of optical fibre networks and right of way for such projects.
Mobile telecommunication companies may soon find it easier to get permissions to set up telecom and wireless infrastructure with the consumers too getting a better user experience. In a step closer to the government's Digital India plans, the state government is planning to unveil a new policy which will ensure single-window clearances for these service providers.
The Maharashtra Telecom Infrastructure Policy (MahaTip) will ensure ease of doing business and grant time-bound permissions to telecom majors for set up of telecommunication cell sites, base stations, laying of optical fibre networks and right of way for such projects. It will also allow the installation of mobile towers and antennae on government buildings and public lands.
“This will be an integrated telecom infrastructure policy to make the process of granting permissions easy for telecom and infrastructure companies,” said a senior official from the state information technology department.
“Setting up telecommunication cell sites, base stations and right of way for such projects are a complicated and time-consuming process,” he admitted, stating that now, the state was planning to unveil an integrated policy comprising a single-window system for permissions.
“It will encourage telecom service providers to erect the backbone of telecom infrastructure which we need in a digital age,” the official said.
“Today, telecom companies and service providers suffer due to lack of an integrated policy for works like laying optic fibre cables (OFC) and telecom towers. They have to run around for a number of permissions, which makes things uncertain and unregulated,” the official explained, adding that chief minister Devendra Fadnavis was keen that an integrated policy be evolved instead of a host of policies which exist in silos at present.
“Now, there is no time-frame for granting consents and no accountability... (Hence), we will also work out a response time,” he said, adding that policy, which was at the draft stage, would be tabled before the state cabinet for approvals.
This policy also envisages use of government land and buildings for setting up mobile towers, which will ensure enhanced user experience and better services for consumers who complain of slow data speeds and repeated call drops.
At present, policies like the Right of Way (ROW) Policy framed in 2006 and the Cellphone Tower Policy, 2014, govern the realm in Maharashtra, albeit in different silos.
“This is a major initiative which will change the way in which permissions are granted to telecom companies,” said a source from the chief minister's office. He added that the immediate implication for consumers would be better services due to speedier permissions being granted. “Apart from easier ROW, it will allow faster set up of towers on private and public buildings. The state will also allow the installation of rooftop mobile towers on public buildings in consonance with the Centre's policy,” he confirmed.
However, like the 2014 policy, the draft policy will also make it mandatory for consents and no-objections to be secured from the owners of the property and residents for the set up of cellphone towers on private premises like buildings and societies.
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