MTNL lines across Delhi are down as the communication utility is barred from digging city roads
MTNL lines across Delhi are down as the communication utility is barred from digging city roads
Dharmender Sejwal, a resident of Lado Sarai, is facing problems in accessing his MTNL Internet service since
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| Mind the gap: Civic authorities have barred agencies from undertaking any project that involves digging roads in Delhi. |
July 20 and is yet to find a solution.u00a0
Well he is not alone; in fact, thousands of landline and Internet connections across the city are down due to heavy construction throughout the Capital owing to the Commonwealth Games.
According to MTNL officials, the widespread digging activity has resulted in cable damage and faults. "Thousands of connections are affected due to cable damage we are trying to restore the connection," the said.
"A budget of Rs 4.5 billion has been earmarked to the Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited for providing communication facilities during the Commonwealth Games 2010, including a network for high definition broadcast and due to recent damages the work is getting affected as we cannot dig and lay cables," the officials said pointing out that the civic agencies are not allowing them to dig roads to rectify the down lines.
However, the civic authorities have a different story to narrate. They said that widespread digging of roads by agencies such as MTNL and NDPL to lay cables was hampering their beautification work.
The MCD is facing this problem while working on road-widening and other projects near some Games venues. "We will file criminal cases against agencies that are digging roads illegally, without permission and without submitting the required revenue money to us," said Jagdish Mamgain, Chairman, MCD Works Committee.u00a0u00a0
But while this blame game is being played out, the common man is the worst sufferer. Surinder Kumar Sharma, a resident of Dwarka, said: "I am a senior citizen and a heart patient. The Internet is not working since August 5, 2010. I have registered a number of complaints ever since but nothing has been done."
AFFECTED AREASCENTRAL Delhi: Connaught Place, UNI area, NEW Delhi railway station area, Mandir Marg , gautam Puri, Baroda House, Bharatiya Viya Bhawan, Sunder Nagar, ITO area, Kotla, Indira Gandhi Stadium,u00a0 Sarai Kale khan.
SOUTH Delhi: Sultanpur, Ghitorni, Aya nagar, chattarpur, PK Puram, safdarjung Hospital, Russian embassy, Vinay Marg, Shanti Marg, Moti Bagh, Lado sarai, Sainik Farms, Asola, east of kailash and okhla.
Tran-Yamuna area: karawal Nagar, Sonia vihar, amar colony, raghubar pura.
EAST Delhi: Deshbandhu Gupta, chandanichowk, Mori gate.
North Delhi: Rohini, Hyderpur, Adarsh Nagar, Wazirpur, Krishna Colony, Burari.
West Delhi: Pinto Park, Delhi cantt, Patel garden, Jail road.
