Lok Sabha Question No. 2832 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-03-11
Subject: Right of Way Charges
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Kuruva Gorantla Madhav

- (a) No, Sir.
- (b) To  alleviate  Right  of  Way  (RoW)  related  difficulties  associated  with  creation  of  both underground and over ground infrastructure and to bring a uniform policy on RoW, Government of India had notified the Indian Telegraph Right of Way Rules, 2016 on 15 th  November, 2016. The salient features of these rules with regard to charges for granting Right of Way (RoW) are as under:
- i) Levy of one-time fee to meet administrative expenses for processing applications for  Right  of  Way  at  the  maximum rate of Rs 1,000/- per km for laying Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) and Rs 10,000/- per application for installation of towers.
- ii) Levy of only restoration charges in case of laying Optical Fibre Cable (OFC).
- iii) Compensation for the value of the immovable property in case of installation of towers.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2832 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11 TH  MARCH, 2020

## RIGHT OF WAY CHARGES

## 2832. SHRI KURUVA GORANTLA MADHAV:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has the details of Right-of-Way charges levied by different State Governments for permitting the laying of fiber and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the  steps  taken/proposed  to  be  taken  by  the  Government  for  expediting  Right-of-Way permissions and lower Right-of-Way charges;
- (c) whether the Government has details of villages in Anantapur districts which do not have internet  and  mobile  connectivity  and  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  steps  taken  by  the Government in this regard; and
- (d) whether the Government proposes to promote 5G network in the said district by installing mobile towers with very high speed system and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS, HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI SANJAY DHOTRE)

Steps such as consultation with State Governments / Union Territories, holding regional seminars  and  advocacy  workshops  have  been  taken  up  for  facilitating  adoption  of  Indian Telegraph Right of Way Rules, 2016 and roll-out of telecom infrastructure.

(c) Lakkasamudram and Amagondapalem are the two villages in Anantapur district which do not have mobile and internet coverage. The National Broadband Mission has been launched in December 2019 which inter alia envisages to cover all the villages of the country with telecom infrastructure by 2022 including the villages of Anantapur district.

(d) An inter- ministerial High level Forum for 5G India 2020 was constituted in September 2017 to articulate the Vision for 5G in India and to recommend policy initiatives and action plans to  realize  this  vision.  The  High  Level  Forum  submitted  its  report  titled  as  'Making  India  5G Ready' in August 2018. Based on the report, the Government is creating an enabling framework for deployment of 5G services in India. The 5G services are expected to be introduced gradually and advance to a full range of services as ecosystem and demand for services grows. The plan shall inter-alia, include Anantapur District in due course.

**********