Karnataka CM intervenes to resolve tussle between telecom infra firms, BBMP

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Tuesday intervened to resolve a long tussle between telecom companies and Bengaluru municipal body BBMP over rolling out network in the state capital, industry body COAI said.

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has agreed to give time to telecom companies to roll out infrastructure in Bengaluru at lower cost and all permission for the same will be given through single window clearance system, Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) Director General Rajan S Mathews told PTI.

"We have had very fruitful meeting Karnataka Chief Minister who listened to all our issues and promised to resolve it. Following this, we met BBMP Commissioner who was very accommodative. BBMP wants us to put all overhead optical underground at a very reasonable rate," Mathews said.

Last month, BBMP withdrew permissions granted to companies for laying telecom cables.

The municipal body had cut optical fibre cables in April that were laid over the ground. BBMP had demanded fees for the overground cables while telecom industry bodies said the fee has been already paid to BBMP and the cables were temporarily laid overground due to construction work going in some of the affected area.

Mathews said that now BBMP has taken responsibility to restore all trenching work done at cost of Rs 50 per metre and telecom companies will also not require to pay huge deposit that was required earlier.

"There will be single-window clearance for laying optical fibre cable in the city. We expect an order in this regard next week," Mathews said.