Govt to penalise damage to telecom infrastructure due to property excavation

The government has notified rules mandating that prior notice be given to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) if anybody wants to dig or excavate any property and that a penalty be paid in case telegraph infrastructure is damaged during the digging and excavation.

As per the rules, any person who wants to dig or excavate any property, which could cause damage to telegraph infrastructure or interrupt telegraphic communication, will need to give notice to the licensee through a common portal. The person would need to submit information about the action beforehand.

On receiving the notice, the licensee shall provide the details of telegraph infrastructure falling under or over or along the property with which the person intends to deal in along with precautionary measures for coordination in avoiding damages to the telegraph infrastructure. The charges will be computed based on such expenses as may be incurred in restoring the damages.