HC dismisses pleas for restoring telegram service

MADURAI: The Madras High Court today dismissed two petitions seeking to restore telegram service, discontinued in July after 163 years of service, accepting BSNL's stand that modern alternatives like e-mail and mobile phones were available.

Acting Chief Justice Raja Ram Agrawal and Justice N Paul Vasantha Kumar dismissed the plea after public sector communication major BSNL submitted that it incurred loss to the tune of Rs 1473.38 crore due to steep fall in the telegraph traffic since 2006 when the telecommunication department introduced modernisation.

The judges agreed with BSNL's contention that several fast, efficient, economic and reliable alternatives like mobile phone, e-mail, e-post were available now.

The first petitioner Robert Chandrakmuar, a city advocate, had sought restoration of the service contending that 70 per cent of population lived in rural places where the modern communication facilities such as email were yet to penetrate.

M Sekaran, President of Federation of Consumer and Service Organisation in Tiruchirappalli, in his petition, said BSNL should have reduced telegram charges to attract more consumers.

BSNL Deputy General Manager E Vasudevan, in his counter, submitted the company decided to close down the telegram services as it did not find any justification for extending financial support for its continuation when efficient alternatives were available.

The telegraph service had become outdated, and the department had taken a policy decision and the same could not be termed as an act against mandate. The competent authority also gave the approval for discontinuance of service. There was no merit in the petition, he submitted.