Transport Ministry makes changes to allow faster deployment of telecom cables

In a bid to speed up deployment of telecom and optical fiber cables, the transport ministry has relaxed provisions related to clearances required from the Highway Administration. It has now been decided that the need for mentioning various safety clearances is being dispensed with. Further, the application shall only mention details regarding license from telecom authorities.

Prior to this, the applicant had to mention details of various safety clearances from authorities such as Directorate of Electricity, Chief Controller of Explosives, Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organization, Oil Industry Safety Directorate, and State/Central Pollution Control Board among others.

It has also been decided that the need for putting applications in the public domain and seeking claims and objections on grounds of public inconvenience while laying underground optical fiber and telecom cables within the Right of Way (RoW) area of ​​national highways is being done away with .
“Applications for optical fiber or telecom cables need to be processed expeditiously and approval must be given within 30 days,” the Transport Ministry order said. It was earlier specified that an approval shall be deemed to be granted if there are no objections and claims to the proposed cables. KQ Education Group