Lakhs of Bangaloreans could be staring at a broadband blackout if the BBMP decides to take action against 18 companies for laying optic fiber cables (OFCs) illegally in the city.
The optical fiber cable inspection committee, headed by NR Ramesh, has prepared an interim report running into 4,732 pages on the unauthorised OFCs across the city. The interim report will be submitted to BBMP mayor BS Satyanarayana on Friday.
The committee found that Airtel has laid 7,000km of OFC in arterial and sub-arterial roads in the city without paying any fee to the BBMP. “It is sad that none of the BBMP officials are aware of this scandal. We want the mayor and commissioner to recommend a CBI probe,” said Ramesh.
If the talks between the BBMP and service providers fail, internet services provided by private operators in the city may be disrupted owing to the crackdown. The companies are alleged to have laid 55,000km of OFC illegally and even dug manholes to install junction boxes at several places. The BBMP has already issued notices to these companies.
Mayor Sharadamma in Oct 2011 had launched a drive against a similar violation by severing the OFC. The action prompted Reliance Communications Ltd, Reliance Infra Tel Ltd, Spectra ISP Networks Pvt Ltd, Bharti Airtel Ltd, Tata Tele Services Ltd, Idea Cellular Ltd, Indusind Media & Communications Ltd, Hathway Cable & Datacom Ltd, Tata Communications Ltd, Dishnet Wireless Ltd, Vodafone Essar South Ltd and BELL Tele Services India Pvt Ltd to approach the high court.
The high court had directed the BBMP to halt the action and asked the civic body to consider the companies’ applications for cutting the road to facilitate optical fiber cable ducts. Later, the court directed the BBMP to amend the KMC Act to enable it remove unauthorised OFCs. The state government amended the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act 1976 for this purpose.
The OFC inspection committee’s interim report found that GAIL (India) Ltd dug up roads in the city to lay gas pipelines for the supply of LPG to houses. “It has laid 900km-long pipeline for the supply of LPG and also optical fiber cable ducts. We are not sure for what purpose the GAIL (India) Ltd laid OFC ducts,’’ Ramesh said.
The committee also found that Reliance Jio.Infocom Ltd (RJIL) has laid 7,000km of OFC in the city in one year. “The BBMP needs Rs 300 crore for the restoration of the roads dug by RJIL, which has so far paid only Rs 13 crore to the BBMP. A few contractors of Bescom and BWSSB have allowed the company to use manhole chambers to put up OFC ducts,’’ he said.
The committee report said that many television service providers had put up overhead optical fibre cable to provide broadband/internet service but have not paid tax to the BBMP.
Recommendations
Take suitable action to collect tax from the companies that have laid OFC without permission
Cut the overhead optical fibre cables immediately without any notice to the companies
Inform BWSSB to take action against those who misuse manhole chambers
Take measures to collect money spent by the BBMP for the restoration of roads from service providers
Issue a notice to GAIL (India) for digging the roads without permission and collect fee from it.
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