Lok Sabha Question No. 5322 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-28
Subject: Pending Applications for BSNL Landlines
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: B.V. NAYAK

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.5322 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28 th      MARCH, 2018

## PENDING APPLICATIONS FOR BSNL LANDLINES

## 5322. SHRI B.V. NAIK:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether over 12,000 applications for landline connections are pending with the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise;
- (b) whether many areas are technically non-feasible and due to unavailability of underground  cable,  it  is  not  possible  to  provide  landline  connections  and  if  so,  the  details thereof and the remedial steps taken by the Government in this regard;
- (c) whether eighty four per cent of the said waitlisted applications are from urban areas and if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise;
- (d) whether  the  BSNL  has  stated  that  laying  of  underground  cables  is  not  economically viable in view of local bodies imposing right of way charges and if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto; and
- (e) the  other  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  reduce  the  aforementioned  pendency  of applications for landline connections?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS & MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI MANOJ SINHA)

- (a) At  present,  1708  applications  are  pending  with  Bharat  Sanchar  Nigam  Limited (BSNL) for landline connections. State/Circle-wise detail is at Annexure.
- (b) Many  new  developing  areas  are  presently  Technically  Non-Feasible(TNF)  as underground  cable  has  not  been  laid  in  these  areas.  These  areas  are  being  made feasible in a phased manner, based on techno commercial viability.
- (c) As  on 31 st January 2018, out of 1708  pending  applications,  1391(81%) applications are pending from urban areas. State/Circle-wise details are at Annexure.
- (d) & (e) For  laying cables,  local bodies charges for Right of Way(RoW) are often quite high, due to which in certain cases the viability for providing connections becomes noneconomical.  Department  of  Telecommunications  (DoT)  has  notified  Indian  Telegraph RoW Rules on 15 th  November, 2016. These rules specify only administrative charges of Rs.1,000/-  per  KM  to  be  charged  by  the  authorities  for  RoW  permissions.  The  State Governments, Central Government and their agencies have been asked to align their policies with the Government of India RoW Rules, 2016.  This matter is being  pursued by  DoT.

## Annexure

## State/Circle-wise waiting list of BSNL landline as on 31.01.2018

| Sl No   | STATE/CIRCLE NAME   | Waiting List   | Waiting List   | Waiting List   |
|---------|---------------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
| Sl No   | STATE/CIRCLE NAME   | Urban          | Rural          | Total          |
| 1       | Andaman Nicobar     | 0              | 0              | 0              |
| 2       | Andhra Pradesh      | 0              | 0              | 0              |
| 3       | Assam               | 0              | 0              | 0              |
| 4       | Bihar               | 0              | 0              | 0              |
| 5       | Chhattisgarh        | 0              | 0              | 0              |
| 6       | Gujarat             | 437            | 49             | 486            |
| 7       | Haryana             | 0              | 0              | 0              |
| 8       | Himachal Pradesh    | 0              | 0              | 0              |
| 9       | Jammu Kashmir       | 0              | 0              | 0              |
| 10      | Jharkhand           | 0              | 0              | 0              |
| 11      | Karnataka           | 0              | 0              | 0              |
| 12      | Kerala              | 14             | 106            | 120            |
| 13      | Madhya Pradesh      | 0              | 0              | 0              |
| 14      | Maharastra          | 940            | 162            | 1102           |
| 15      | North East-I        | 0              | 0              | 0              |
| 16      | North East-II       | 0              | 0              | 0              |
| 17      | Odisha              | 0              | 0              | 0              |
| 18      | Punjab              | 0              | 0              | 0              |
| 19      | Rajasthan           | 0              | 0              | 0              |
| 20      | Tamil Nadu          | 0              | 0              | 0              |
| 21      | Uttar Pradesh(East) | 0              | 0              | 0              |
| 22      | Uttar Pradesh(West) | 0              | 0              | 0              |
| 23      | Uttarakhand         | 0              | 0              | 0              |
| 24      | West Bengal         | 0              | 0              | 0              |
| 25      | Kolkata             | 0              | 0              | 0              |
| 26      | Chennai             | 0              | 0              | 0              |
|         | Total               | 1391           | 317            | 1708           |

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