Trai introduces penalties for lapses in telecom grievance redressal

Telecom operators could face penalties of up to Rs 20 lakh per quarter in each service area for failing to properly address consumer complaints and appeals, under a revised grievance redressal framework notified by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) on Monday.

Under the Telecom Consumers Complaint Redressal (Fourth Amendment) Regulations, 2026, the regulator has set separate penalties for the two categories of violations. An operator will be liable to pay Rs 1,000 for every complaint found to have been improperly disposed of and Rs 5,000 for each appeal handled improperly.