Mobile tower installed illegally in Greater Noida residential area removed

The Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) on Wednesday said it has removed a mobile phone tower that was being installed on the roof of a house in a village in Greater Noida without due approvals. The action has been taken in pursuance of an order of the Allahabad High Court, the GNIDA said, warning people against violating guidelines on installation of mobile phone towers without its approval.

The tower was being installed in Khedi village without permission. Some nearby residents had petitioned the High Court, seeking the removal of the tower from the residential area, GNIDA CEO Narendra Bhooshan said. Acting on the order of the court, the team of Work Circle 2 of Greater Noida Authority has removed the mobile tower, Bhooshan said.

Officials said permission to install a mobile tower in Greater Noida has to be taken from the local authority and there are certain criteria and a fixed fee on the basis of which approval is granted. Like, such installations can only be made in certain areas and against Rs 1 lakh fee to be paid by the applicant to the GNIDA. If the tower has already been installed and permission sought later, then Rs 1.5 lakh fee would be charged, the officials said.

Mobile phone towers can be allowed only on buildings located in community centres, shopping centres, commercial, institutional and industrial sectors, green belts etc, as decided by the Planning Department and are not allowed on residential buildings, GNIDA said. PTI