ELCOT becomes nodal agency for telecom infrastructure in TN

Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu (ELCOT) has been notified as the nodal agency to address issues relating to telecom infrastructure in the state, and to develop a single electronic application process, required for submission of online applications by infrastructure providers for grant of Right of Way (RoW) permissions.

Information technology and digital services department secretary J Kumaragurubaran in his recent orders said the collectors of districts and Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner would act as the nodal officers in their respective regions. Earlier, the subject related to the ‘telecom infrastructure’ was held under the information technology and digital services department.

After notification of the Indian Telegraph Right of Way Rules, 2016 and the launch of Tamil Nadu Telecom Infrastructure Policy 2022, a large number of communications pertaining to establishing, strengthening and monitoring telecom infrastructure operators had caused hardship due to the multifold increase of records and connected papers, and monitoring of telecom projects, state-owned ELCOT said.

With ELCOT being made the nodal agency, its managing director has been appointed as the ‘Grievance Redressal Officer’ to address the grievances of telecom related issues and Right of Way portal issues in the state.

“Electronic Corporation of Tamil Nadu (ELCOT) has been designated as the Nodal agency for the purposes of the Indian Telegraph Right of Way Rules 2016 and to develop a single electronic application process, for submission of online applications by telecom service providers and infrastructure providers for grant of RoW permissions,” ELCOT said.

The principal secretary, information technology and digital services would be the ‘Dispute Resolution Officer’, it said. Telecom Infrastructure includes all the issues relating to underground cables or overground towers, increasing server space, speed of single window Right of Wary Portal, integrating popular payment gateways, enabling 5G application forms among others.

“Orders have been issued for implementing the Tamil Nadu Telecom Infrastructure Policy – 2022 for grant of Right of Way for laying optical fibre cables and installation of base tower stations in the state,” it added. PTI