Govt Tells BBMP To Draw Up OFC Policy, Issue Notices

The government has directed the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to formulate a detailed policy on optical fibre cables (OFCs). The moves comes in the wake of furore over the agency’s recent removal of several such cables which had been illegally drawn overhead in Bellandur.

The Palike has been told to act only after obtaining permission from the government. Internet service providers had kicked up a din over the Bellandur incident and gone public over the matter, asserting they shouldn’t be held responsible for any disruption in internet services caused by BBMP’s crackdown.

Following an appeal from Rajan Mathews, director-general of Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), saying the government should urgently intervene in the matter, Mahendra Jain, additional chief secretary, urban development department, met heads from the BWSSB, Bescom, BBMP and BMRCL and DCP (Whitefield). Mathews was not present at the meeting.

While agreeing that removal of unauthorised overhead OFCs was legally required, stakeholders felt the course of law and natural justice must be followed by issuing notices to all companies concerned before cracking down.―Times of India