BSNL disconnects services to RCom in Haryana

State-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) Haryana circle has disconnected its telecom services to landline phone service of Reliance Communications on account of non-payment of pending dues by the company.

As direct fallout of it, a large number of subscribers of both BSNL and Reliance in Haryana circle were deprived of connectivity between the two networks, including of Reliance mobile phones from BSNL landline numbers.

However, 'mobile to mobile' service between both the operators remained unaffected, BSNL sources said. "We have disconnected our services to Reliance because of non-payment of pending dues as ordered by TDSAT," a senior official of BSNL (Haryana Circle) told PTI here today.

About Rs 1.75 crore is outstanding towards Reliance Communications, he said. BSNL has disconnected its services on 77 Points of Interconnection (POI) with Reliance Communications in Haryana. The action has been taken by the Haryana Circle, following the directions issued by the BSNL to all its circle offices to recover pending dues from Reliance Communications in respect of 'Unlimited Cordless' service in accordance with the interim orders passed by TDSAT last month.

"The services have been disconnected after serving the company with notice of recovery," he said. Significantly, BSNL Punjab circle has already cut off its
services to Reliance Communications few days back for non-payment of dues to the tune of Rs 2 crore. The matter pertains to the demand raised by BSNL on Reliance Communication for payment of Access Deficit Charge (ADC) for the period November, 2004 and after August, 2005 for 20 circles.

A BSNL official of Haryana circle said that TDSAT in its interim orders had asked Reliance Communication to pay dues to BSNL. When contacted, spokesman of Reliance Communications refused to comment on the issue.