New Framework Issued For Regulation Of Telecom Towers

To crack down on illegal telecom towers and streamline establishment of new towers in urban local bodies, the State government has introduced a new regulatory framework and has fixed one-time fee of ₹1 lakh for installation of a tower in the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagar Palike (BBMP) limits.

The government issued a gazette notification (the Karnataka Installation of new Telecommunication Infrastructure Towers Regulation Act, 2019) on May 29 and has given a three-month period for regulating all existing towers. Failure to regularise would empower the urban local body to take action to demolish the tower as per the Act.

Commissioners of municipal corporations, commissioners of city municipal councils, chief office of town municipal councils, town panchayats, and development officers of gram panchayats falling in urban development areas are competent authorities to grant permission for installation of new telecom towers.

The Act said that Telecommunication Infrastructure Tower should include ground-based tower, roof-top tower, roof-top poles, cellphone tower, antenna fixtures, fabricated antenna, tower to install telephone lines, transmission towers, cell on wheels, in-building solutions and micro sites. It has not included antennas installed for domestic purpose such as TV antennas or dish antennas, Urban Development Minister U.T. Khader said.

Since towers are governed by radio frequency system, the Act called for possible avoidance of residential areas. In residential areas, towers should be located in open spaces or community buildings in the locality.

It said preference would be given to the location of tower in commercial areas or other public places. Towers would be permitted atop rooftops of residential buildings subject to structural safety authority from a registered structural engineer.

A total of 15 documents are required for permission to install towers. They are location plan, site plan, structural stability certificate, copy of sanctioned plan of the building occupancy certificate, ownership document, lease agreement deed, drawing of tower with complete details including the specifications of foundation and design parameters, height of the tower, NoC issued by the Karnataka State Fire Services Department, copy of certificate issued by Automotive Research Association of India, copy of Standing Advisory Committee on radio frequency allocations, and acknowledgement receipt issued by TERM Cell of DoT.

The sanctioning authority will verify documents and issue the permit within 30 days, the Act said. The period of the permit would be extended for two years if the application is submitted within the valid period by paying 25% of the fee.

District and State-level telecom panels will be formed for redressal of grievances. While the seven-member committee at the district level will be headed by Deputy Commissioner, the six-member State-level panel will be led by Secretary of Urban Development Department.―The Hindu