Bhubaneswar: The State Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday approved a proposal of the Electronics & Information Technology (E&IT) Department for amendment to Odisha Mobile Towers and Telegraph Line, OFC and related Telecom Infrastructure Policy, 2017 as per the Indian Telegraph Right of Way (Amendment) Rules, 2022.
Telecom sector has a multiplier impact on the economy. To promote development of telecommunication network and for establishment of modem telecommunication infrastructure like high speed internet in remote, hilly and critical LWE effected areas of the State, the Government has formulated Odisha Mobile Towers and Telegraph Line, OFC and related Telecom Infrastructure Policy 2017.
The proposed amendment in the Odisha Mobile Towers and Telegraph Line, OFC and related Telecom Infrastructure Policy, 2017 aims to modify the existing State Policy by amending some of the existing clauses so as to align it with the provisions of the Indian Telegraph Right of Way (Amendment) Rules, 2022 and to facilitate faster and easier deployment of telecom infrastructure to enable speedy 5G rollout, mitigate the operational difficulties and to upgrade/improve quality of services across the State, according to an official statement.
Earlier Right of Way (ROW) for Optical Fibre Cable infrastructures Policy has been renamed as Odisha Mobile Towers and Telegraph Line, OFC and related Telecom Infrastructure Policy, 2017 as per the Indian Telegraph Right of Way (Amendment) Rules, 2022.
New clauses 5.5.1 (xiv) to 5.5.1 (xx) are added under existing Clause-5.5.1- Process of Granting Permission extending the conditions of getting permission to mitigate public inconvenience or enhance public safety or structural safety.
One financial clause like tariff for underground telegraph infrastructure has been fixed as Rs 1000 per kilometre to meet administrative.
Existing clause 5.5.2 (2) (i) has been modified by adding the charges to be levied for pits only with other terms remain unaltered as addition of telegraph infrastructure has been made.
New sub-clause has added under 5.10 as 5.10 (viii)-relate to some financial modification for over ground telegraph infrastructure. Besides new clauses have also been added as5.10 (A) on usage of street furniture for installation of small cells and telegraph line and 5.10 (B) on Establishment of telegraph infrastructure over private property.
4th Paragraph of Clause 6.17 has been updated in order to fix a time line i.e. 90 days removal/alteration of telegraph infrastructure having regard to emergent and expedient circumstances.
New 2 numbers of paragraphs need to be included under Clause-3-Nodal Department wherein the ADM has been assigned with the task of RoW clearance and Nodal Officers from distribution companies to resolve all power related issues of Telecom service/infra providers.
New clauses is added as 4.4 (vii) under clause 4.4 to expand the scope of responsibility of the Distribution Companies i.e. to intimate the infra providers of the duration of electric supply to telecom infra in rural areas on request by the service providers. This will help service providers to plan for power back up.