The Hindu : New Delhi News : MCD turns a blind eye towards illegal mobile towers

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Sunday, Jan 17, 2010
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New Delhi

MCD turns a blind eye towards illegal mobile towers

Sandeep Joshi

Over 50 per cent of the towers are illegal
Can cause a huge loss during a natural disaster

NEW DELHI: Over 50 per cent of the 4,500-odd mobile phone towers installed by various operators across the Capital are illegal, erected without requisite permission from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. The problem is rampant in all 12 MCD zones of the city.

Out of 4,532 towers installed till September 2009, as many as 2,517 had no permission from MCD. West Zone had the maximum number of 813 towers, out of which a whopping 84 per cent or 684 have come up illegally. Similarly, there are 549 towers in Central Zone, out of which 289 are unauthorised, while 363 or almost 70 per cent of a total of 528 towers are illegal in Rohini Zone.

The situation is grim in other zones too. For instance, out of 499 towers in South Zone, 392 or almost 80 per cent have come up without permission from MCD, while 234 (54 per cent) out of 427 are unauthorised in Najafgarh Zone. Similarly, in Shahdara (North) Zone, 111 towers out of 379 and in Civil Lines Zone 151 out of 375 are unauthorised. In City Zone 101 out of 231, in Narela Zone 70 out of 115, and in Sadar Paharganj Zone 22 out of 98 are illegal.

The situation is only slightly better in Karol Bagh Zone where only 31 (13 per cent) out of 228 towers are illegal, while in Shahdara (South) 69 (23 per cent) out of 290 towers are unauthorised.

According to a telecom expert, in the event of an emergency or natural disaster like an earthquake, these huge mobile towers, usually erected on top of a building, can cause a huge loss to life and property. “Before erecting mobile towers, no-objection certificates are required from various authorities that include structural stability certificate and anti-pollution certificate. But MCD and other government organisations seem to have turned a blind eye towards this menace,” he added.

Even as MCD has initiated some action in this regard lately, it has prompted mobile companies to approach higher authorities saying it might cause connectivity problems in the Capital if they are forced to shift their mobile towers. The Delhi Government has also asked MCD to frame a new policy for installation of mobile phone towers after consulting various stakeholders, including telecom operators, residents’ welfare associations and health authorities.

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