Reliance Infocom Ltd must pay fee for network towers

MUMBAI: In a case involving Reliance Infocom Ltd, the question whether a cellphone operator company must pay fees to the municipal authorities for erecting network towers atop buildings has yet again come to the fore.

Division bench of Justices S B Mhase and A A Kumbhakoni on Thursday has held that Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group owned company must pay fees for constructing network tower on buildings in the jurisdiction of Akola Municipal Corporation.

But earlier another bench of the high court had taken opposite view in similar cases so the matter has now been referred to the Chief Justice for hearing by a larger bench, without any interim relief for Reliance.

The court was hearing a petition filed by Reliance challenging a notification of the state government regarding charging of fees by the municipal corporation for constructing network towers over buildings. It claimed that state does not have power under the Maharashtra Region Town Planning (MRTP) Act to impose such fees.

The current bench stated that the notification was valid as it rationalizes the fees charged by the different municipal corporation. The corporations have been charging fees under provisions of the Development Control Regulations (DCR) of the corporation, additional government pleader Vinay Sonpal told PTI.