Corpn. to rethink Jio tower proposal

The Corporation Council has decided to rethink the proposal of Reliance Jio Infocom Limited and Indus Towers Limited for setting up high-mast lights, WiFi and 4G facility in various centres in the city.

The finance standing committee of the corporation had decided to permit the two companies to set up high-mast multi-purpose towers at road junctions, playgrounds and parks within the corporation jurisdiction by levying a rent of Rs. 5,000 per tower per month.

However, when the decision was put before the council for approval, the opposition raised objections. Congress councillor P.M. Niyas suggested that the corporation should invite an expression of interest in the case and that Rs. 5,000 per tower was very low for such a facility. Hence the council sent it back to the standing committee for further proceedings.

Earlier, the corporation cancelled the scheduled foundation stone-laying function of the water treatment plant under Kudumbasree’s ‘Theertham’ project on TB centre premises on Francis Road. Many residents associations in the region had complained to the corporation that such a facility would lead to severe water scarcity in the region, already hit by drought. They opposed the plan to dig a well in the plot to extract groundwater, to be purified and bottled to be sold under the aegis of the Kudumbasree.