Illegal OFC: Panel demands CBI probe

Bangalore: Members of the Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) committee have demanded a probe by the Central Bure­au of Investigation (CBI) into the alleged unauthorised cable

laying ‘mafia’ which has damaged BBMP’s roads, drains and footpaths. The committee has been commissioned by the mayor to look into the OFC network.

Addressing a press conference at the release of the interim report on the unauthorised OFC network on Thursday, Yediyur corporator N.R. Ramesh said that action must be initiated against officials who allowed the telecom companies to rampantly lay the cables and thereby cause a loss to the BBMP's exchequer. He also alleged that some officials have connived with telecom companies to allow them to dig more ducts than permitted.

Further, he said that a detailed report running into 4,732 pages will be submitted to the Mayor in the council on Friday. He said that service providers have laid a network of more than 65,000 km, and must pay the penalty in the form of double the right of way fee (fee levied on road cutting to lay OFC).

The service providers have failed to adhere to road cutting protocols and have laid the network in manholes and sewerage lines leading to choking of sewerage and storm water flow. This has led to the flooding of low lying areas, Ramesh explained.

Since 1995 the BBMP has suffered losses amou­n­ting to Rs 10,000 crore in restoring roads and footpaths indiscriminately dam­aged by service pro­vi­ders. That apart, the networks have occupied government space worth Rs10,400 crore. But they have paid a paltry sum of Rs58 crore to the BBMP. The rules laid down by the Indian Roads Congr­ess (IRC) have also been flouted, Ramesh alleg­ed.

The BWSSB’s manholes have been misused and have been damaged for which the service providers must be made to pay Rs 240 crore along with simple interest to the BWSSB, Ramesh demanded.

With an eye on future business, many service providers have laid extra cable ducts. The BBMP must either levy double the fee or auction such empty ducts to get the revenue, he suggested.

Most importantly, two Geographical Infor­ma­tion System (GIS)-equipped full-time staff must be appointed as part of a task force to curb unauthorised OFC network-laying. Only online or e-applications must be received from an authorised representative of the companies for permission to lay cables.

Former deputy mayor S. Harish said that an amendment must be made to the KMC Act to curb rampant digging up of OFC ducts.