RMC cracks down on illegal mobile towers

The civic authorities in Chhattisgarh capital have started cracking down on the telecom operators installing mobile service towers without valid permissions.

In the last two days, the Raipur Municipal Corporation (RMC) had sealed 23 towers that were installed without permission from the authorities. The officials hinted that the action will continue.

The authorities have disconnected electricity supply to the towers while those running with generators have been sealed, RMC town planner Sandeep Bagade said. Of the operators who faced the axe included state-run telecom giant Bharat Sanchar Nigam (BSNL) and all major private operators.

Sources said that about 350 mobile towers had been installed in Raipur by various mobile service providers. In December last, the RMC had served notices on the companies asking to regularise the 152 towers that were identified as illegally installed.

As per the guidelines, the mobile service providers had to take certain clearances from the civic authorities before installing a tower. The RMC is reportedly charging Rs 50,000 fee per tower with all these clearances.

Sources added that after receiving the notice, most of the towers were regularised after the companies paid the fee with penalty. Still, more than 50 illegal towers are there in the state capital, sources said, adding that the RMC had launched a special campaign to crack down on these towers.