The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) has requested the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to notify rules regarding installation of telecom towers at government land properties. The industry association has contended that though the government has the intention to provide access to its properties, clear plan and guidelines to operationalise the same are needed.

This comes after the DoT and Ministry of Urban Development gave in-principle approval for installation of telecom towers at government buildings, in a move to address the problem of call drops. The telecom operators are also planning to request the DoT to ask the Ministry of Defence to allow installation of mobile towers on land owned by armed forces.     

Meanwhile, the telecom operators have alleged that they face protest from residents and local bodies in various locations against installation of telecom towers. Further, the sealing of existing towers has aggravated the problem of call drops in the country.

The operators have asserted that for every 40 towers sealed by the government, they witness an increase of 20 per cent in call drops. A total of 1,700 tower sites have reportedly been sealed all over the country since September 2013.