The government has notified the draft right of way (RoW) rules under the Indian Telecommunications Act 2023, which aims to ease the regulatory requirements for establishing a telecom network.
According to the draft rules released, there will not be any compensation for establishment of underground telecommunication network on a public property. Meanwhile, for over ground network, compensation for the value of the public property may be given either once or annually, in case the property cannot be used for any other purpose once the network is set up.
For installation of small cells, the rates have been specified as Rs 300 per annum for urban areas and Rs 150 per annum for rural areas per street furniture. For installation of telecommunication lines, Rs 100 per annum per street furniture has been set. However, for deployment of small cells on buildings/ structures under the ownership, control or management of public entities, there will not be any charge.
The new RoW rules also state that there will not be any fee for establishing a temporary over ground network. The RoW rules will allow licensees to set up temporary overground telegraph infrastructure when their existing underground infrastructure is damaged, and no fees will be charged by the authorities for this. In addition, the move would help restore telegraph services on priority, thus preventing major disruptions in services to the users.
The draft rules will be implemented after 30 days, and any queries or clarifications made within 30 days will be considered by the government. Further, government has notified that companies wanting to set up a telecommunication network can apply online along with the requisite documents.
