'Smart towers' to replace 80 mobile towers in Lutyen's Delhi

The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) plans to replace the 80 mobile towers in the area with 'smart towers'. The premier civic body has got three such towers erected in Lutyen's Delhi on an experimental basis. The civic body has so far roped in Reliance Jio and Indus Towers to install the smart towers. The proposal is expected to be on agenda in the next Council meeting, sources said.

The move is under the Union Urban Development ministry's and Prime Minister's flagship 'Smart City' project.

"These towers will be multi-functional as well as aesthetic in comparison with conventional towers. In developed countries, only such towers are erected. Once approved, Lutyen's Delhi will be the first area in the Capital to have smart mobile towers," they said.

Under the plan, the civic body will allow private telecom players to replace the existing mobile towers with smart towers, which will also function as lampposts, having Wi-fi access points and surveillance cameras, sources said.

The three smart towers are erected at Pancharipuri, Zakir Hussain Marg and near Jamnagar House.

"The proposal is at an initial stage and has to be approved by various departments. We have got three such towers on a pilot basis. Once ratified, the proposal will be sent to the council for approval," said a senior officer.

The existing towers are not aesthetic having antennas and multiple wires hanging out.

"Smart towers have an inbuilt system and also occupy less space. These are also safe during thunderstorms and heavy rains and cannot get disrupted with ease," the officer said.

Recently, the civic body had sealed over 100 illegal mobile towers from its area, posing a security challenge in the VVIP area housing MPs, diplomats and bureaucrats, among others. Following which, there was a constant issue of call dropping in the area.

Only last year, the Urban Development ministry gave its nod allowing installation of mobile towers on government buildings, subject to structural safety and payment of licence fee by telecom service providers.