Throwing norms to winds, the cellular companies operating in Srinagar have come under severe criticism among people who accuse them of damaging roads after laying underground optical fibre or cable wires.
The cellular companies have dug up various roads across the summer capital for laying pipes. However despite the government spending crores of rupees on black-topping, these companies have once again left the roads defaced much to the dismay of common people.
“There is no coordination between government agencies and cellular companies when it comes to public works. It is irony that how public money goes down the drain due to non-serious attitude of the authorities at the helm of affairs,” said an official.
He added that the state exchequer incur huge losses due to the lack of coordination. “Last year roads were black-topped by the Roads and Building Department, but few months later the cellular companies dug up the road for laying pipes thereby leaving them defaced once again.”
As per reports, at various places in Srinagar including Soura, Rajbagh, Radio Colony and Sonawar, the cellular companies are laying cables to enhance their connectivity.
The Right of Way (ROW) policy formulated by the government envisages that companies before undertaking any work like digging of roads, etc. have to pay for repairs to the state agencies concerned, or else they have to carry out the reconstruction work on their own.
The cellular companies have to seek permission from different agencies like R&B, SMC and PWD, depending on under whose jurisdiction the road they carry out the work on, falls.
The Right of Way envisages issuing permissions/clearances to the service providers intending to lay optical fiber cable in the state under rules. The policy covers laying of communication infrastructure in Jammu & Kashmir on state land and highways.
“The service provider shall be solely responsible for full restoration/reinstatement to bring the original position of the dug up surface/damage caused to other underground installation/utility services/ interruption, replacement, disruption or failure caused thereof to any services up to the satisfaction of the concerned department,” the policy reads.
It adds that in case of breach of any of the clauses of the RoW policy, the government will be empowered to terminate the contract after giving a 15-day show cause notice. One officer of the rank of Principal Secretary to be nominated by the Government of Jammu-Kashmir will act as Arbitrator to whom the matter will be referred to and the decision of the Arbitrator will be final and binding on both the parties.
When contacted, Chief Engineer, Roads and Buildings, Satish Razdan said that they issue permissions to the cellular companies for laying cables. “They have to pay us the damage cost and repair work is carried by the R&B department,” Razdan said.
