NDMC to impose usage charges on companies

The North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) has decided to impose way leave or usage charges on telecom firms, discoms, or other companies for them using roads, footpaths or street light poles in areas falling under its jurisdiction, its Mayor today said.
North Delhi Mayor Ravinder Gupta said departments from these entities lay down optical fibre cables or wires networks on corporation roads or properties under its jurisdiction, but now the NDMC has imposed way leave/usage charges on them.
The NDMC had recently passed a resolution on imposing way leave or usage charges on such entities in its jurisdiction under relevant sections of the DMC Act.

The corporation can earn revenue to the tune of nearly Rs 5,000 crore every year at the rate of Rs 75,162 per running metre.
The estimated total length of Optic Fibre Club (OFC) cables laid down by various private service providers is approximately 16,410 running km and 30,000 running km for telecom companies, discoms, MTNL, IGL, DJB and other companies.
The Mayor also said that this practice is already prevalent in Pune, Bengaluru and Bhopal and other cities by their municipal corporations, which help them in getting good revenue.