03 August,2011 07:07 AM IST | | Parth Satam
Lines dead for months in several areas as civic body withholds permission to phone service provider to repair cables or lay new onesu00a0
It is yet another example of how the average consumer suffers when two government agencies battle it out. The civic body and the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) seem to be at loggerheads over permission to repair cables and lay new ones, leaving several landline subscribers in the lurch. BSNL officials say the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has simply withheld permission for the laying of underground telecom cables in several parts of the city, because of which thousands of landline users are suffering.
A BSNL official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that the PMC had also damaged several of cables of the telephone service provider while carrying out various developmental works around the city. "Areas like Paud Road and Sindh Society have been without telephone connections for more than six months because the PMC still hasn't allowed us to carry out cable repair work," said the official.
Officials talk about an ongoing case in the high court where the BSNL is arguing that the PMC should charge it the same cable-laying charges that are levied for the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL).
"MSEDCL is charged Rs 1,500 per metre while we are charged Rs 4,500 per metre. During Ajit Pawar's reign as the State Power Minister, he had directed the then civic chief Mahesh Zagade to charge uniform rates, but he had said the decision should be taken by the Standing Committee. Now the HC has passed an interim order to levy uniform charges," said the BSNL official.
Another BSNL official, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the PMC had damaged several BSNL cables, leading to disconnection of several phone lines in areas like Vishrantwadi. "Works executed under the JJNNURM come with the rider that any other public utility affected by the work has to be compensated by the civic body. We have sent memos but these too are gathering dust and our customers are suffering," the official said.
BSNL Principal General Manager V K Mahendra confirmed the state of affairs and said that regular correspondence with the PMC was underway. "Currently, they are denying permission because of the monsoon, which is understandable. But they should give permission at least after the monsoon," he said.
The Other Side
Additional City Engineer (Road Department) Pramod Nirbhavne said the PMC does give emergency permission to BSNL as and when required. "They have ducts that cover their underground cables and which they can simply open and do repairs. This does not require digging. The area near Vishrantwadi where they wish to carry out work can be done in this manner; the road cannot be dug again since it's just been widened," he said. He said he had just taken over as the road department chief and knew little about the issue, adding that Vivek Kharwadkar was formerly heading the department and would be able to comment on the issue. Kharwadkar remained unavailable for comment despite repeated attempts to reach him.
