Telecom bodies approach DoT on sealing of towers

The telecom industry on Tuesday sought intervention of the Department of Telecom (DoT) on sealing of mobile towers by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), which is "leading to call drops". The three associations - COAI, AUSPI and TAIPA - in a letter to DoT secretary Rakesh Garg said MCD has sealed 10 sites in the last two days and demanded that the issue be taken up with MCD Commissioner to stop the "coercive" action. "MCD has been taking various coercive action against telecom towers within their jurisdiction and have recently sealed several telecom towers despite permissions and deemed permissions for the towers being available with the tower companies concerned," the letter said.

The letter complained that these towers are being sealed without issuance of any show-cause notice or sealing orders to the cellular or tower companies concerned. "It was brought to your notice in the meeting scheduled yesterday with the industry on the issue of call drops that due to arbitrary and illegal sealing of telecom towers by MCD, call drops have become order of the day, resulting in inconvenience to the general public at large," the letter added. The associations attached a list of towers that have been sealed.