TMCnet News

425 mobile towers in Nagpur without permission [Nagpur] [Times of India]
[August 29, 2014]

425 mobile towers in Nagpur without permission [Nagpur] [Times of India]


(Times of India Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) NAGPUR: At present, 425 mobile towers situated in various parts of the city are operating without any proper permission. The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has rejected applications of all mobile towers and directed the companies to submit fresh with number of certificates and no-objection-certificates. All these towers were regularized in 2009 but will have to again follow a stricter procedure following a new policy that has been framed by the state government. Another 106 mobile towers are situated in the city falls under the jurisdiction of Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT). They too have to follow the new policy. A major worry for agencies installed and operating mobile towers is the list of certificates to be attached with the application form. One of the mandatory certificates is occupancy certificate which not available with over 90% buildings situated in the city. Besides, the agencies will have to make rounds of other government agencies to get some certificates. NMC official from Town Planning Department told TOI that applications were received in 2009 but rejected a few days ago. "NMC framed its own policy to regularize all mobile towers in 2009. In all, 531 mobile towers were regularized. Agencies filed a petition in the Nagpur bench of Bombay high court which directed the state government to frame policy. The new policy was introduced on March 4, 2014. None of the applications match with norms framed in the new policy so their applications were rejected," he said. The government's new policy will bring transparency in erection of mobile towers along with installation of base station, machinery etc related to telecommunication. Agencies will have to ensure that the building on which mobile tower is installed was constructed after abiding by all building bylaws including building sanction plan etc. Besides, agencies will have to get NOC from the building owner. NOC must from 70% of legal occupants in case of flat schemes. Also, the agencies will have to get NOCs from Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, fire and emergency services department and civil aviation. Other mandatory certificates and NOCs include access service licence or infrastructure provider registration certificate granted from department of telecommunications, clearance certificate from standing advisory committee for frequency allocations, structural stability certificate from authorized structural engineer, certificate of type test issued by Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) to manufacture of diesel generator, approval of heritage committee (if heritage structure) etc. The only benefit agencies are going to get is reduced charges to be paid for permission. The NMC had fixed permission charges at Rs 1 lakh for three years and Rs 10,000 addition in case erection of towers was done without approval. Under the new policy, administrative fee is fixed at Rs 30,000 and development charge according to 124-B of the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning (MRTP) Act. In fact, the NMC had to transfer applications of 106 mobile towers to the NIT according to norms prescribed in new policy. The NMC had transferred fees recovered from 106 agencies. An NMC official added that no new mobile tower will be permitted without approval from now onwards. "Now, the policy is very clear and stringent. Therefore, there would be no scope of any more violations," he said. Stricter norms * State government forms new policy for mobile towers * Now, NOCs from Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, fire and emergency services department and civil aviation are a must * Building on which tower is erected should be legal and have occupancy certificate * Agencies will have to get NOC from the building owner. * In case of flat schemes, 70% of legal occupants should be in favour of the tower(s) (c) 2014 Bennett, Coleman & Company Limited



[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]