BBMP fines Jio, Airtel for digging up roads in Jayanagar

The BBMP has slapped a penalty of Rs 20 lakh each on four major optical fibre cable (OFC) service providers for digging up newly laid roads in Jayanagar without prior permission, illegally installing telecom towers on the footpath, and tying wires to trees.

While such violations are commonly seen across the city, the penalty in Jayanagar was slapped following a complaint by a former corporator.

The four companies are Jio Digital Fiber Private Limited, Bharti Airtel Limited, Telesonic Networks Limited, and VAC Teleinfra Solution Private Limited. The BBMP has also filed a police complaint against these companies.

The action against these companies was initiated after former corporator and BJP leader N R Ramesh complained to BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath about telecom towers on the footpaths. He had demanded a penalty of Rs 20 crore for each company for violating different norms laid down by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

Meanwhile, the BBMP is silent on similar violations in other parts of the city.