Telecom infra body to UP: Stop coercive action against towers

Digital Infrastructure Providers Association (DIPA) has written to the chief secretary, Uttar Pradesh government requesting intervention in the coercive action being taken against telecom infrastructure by the Noida Authority, the representative body telecom infrastructure providers said Monday.

In its letter addressed to Durga Shanker Mishra, chief secretary, Government of Uttar Pradesh, DIPA outlined the issues regarding telecom towers not being permitted to be installed in residential areas which is impacting the availability of communication networks in the area. It also outlined the actions taken against landlords allowing communication infrastructure to be erected on their premises.

DIPA has called for the Noida Authority office to issue immediate directions to the concerned officers of NOIDA authority to withdraw cancellation notices issued to the landlord(s), to hold and withdraw any sort of coercive actions, to amend their rules in line with Indian Telegraph Right of Way Rules 2016, and to allow communication sites in residential areas.

“…telecom infrastructure providers are facing critical issue(s) and the telecom towers are not being permitted to be installed in residential areas. However, these rejections are not in line with Indian Telegraph Right of Way Rules, 2016 -As amended in 2017, 2021 and 2022,” the representative body said in a statement.

It said that in addition to the India Telegraph Act (right of way) RoW rules, the rejections by the Noida Authority are contrary to orders issued by the UP government on June 16, 2018.

The letter also elaborated on an instance where the NOIDA authority cancelled a lease deed in Noida’s sector 20 solely on the ground that the landlord allowed installation of a digital communication site on roof of his property to enable mobile communication network in the area.

“Additionally, the authority has directed that the entire property of the landlord be resumed, sealed and the landlord and his family be dispossessed on Monday, 1st May 2023,” DIPA said in the statement.

The landlord in question consequently switched off the communication site, which led to impaired communication services in the areas. The representative body added that there have been other similar instances where landlords have been “threatened of similar action if they continue to allow communication sites operations from their properties”.

DIPA members include key players in the telecom infrastructure sector like Indus Towers Limited, ATC Group Companies, Ascend Telecom and others.

“Telecom towers are critical infrastructure that play an important role in enabling mobile communication. Therefore, it is imperative that the NOIDA authority understands the importance of communication infrastructure and allows operations without any coercive action,” T R Dua, director-general, DIPA said.

He urged the UP government to intervene immediately and provide support to the landlord(s), who are under pressure as their property(s) are being directed to be resumed and sealed because of the installation of communication sites. He added that DIPA sought the government’s support in convincing the Noida Authority of the importance of communication infrastructure.