The committee was constituted to look into unauthorised OFCs in September and was told to submit a report within two months.

A
detailed 4,732-page report will be submitted to the Mayor at the BBMP
Council  meeting on Friday. It has recommended penalty, double the fee,
against service providers for digging roads and also for not taking
permission from the BBMP to do so.

Speaking to reporters on
Thursday, committee member and Yediyur councillor, N R Ramesh, said 17
telecommunication service providers have laid 65,000 km of OFC ducts,
without permission, in the city. “As per their (service providers)
declaration before the court in 2012, they have laid OFC ducts in 6,140
km. In the past one year, they have taken permission from the BBMP to
lay cables in an additional 1,327 km,” he said.

Ramesh said they had earlier directed the service providers to declare the number of ducts laid in the city.

“They
were supposed to declare it by Thursday. But they have taken another
four days time from the Commissioner. Once they declare the details, we
shall verify them. Unauthorised OFCs will be either disconnected or
these cables will be auctioned. We have the power to do so as they are
illegally laid in our property. With this, there could be chances of
disruption in Internet service. Public should cooperate,” he urged.

Ramesh
said permission from the concerned ward engineer and BWSSB engineer is a
must to lay OFCs. Also, the service providers should have maintained a
gap of one metre between the OFC and sewage pipes.

“They have not
followed these rules and laid OFC ducts in 1,700 km inside sewage pipes
unauthorisedly. This has blocked water flow. That is the reason why
water enters roads during monsoon. The BWSSB officials have registered a
case against these  service providers,” he said.

Committee Seeks CBI Probe

The
committee has demanded a CBI investigation into the alleged
unauthorised cable laying ‘mafia’ which has damaged the BBMP’s roads,
drains and footpaths.

Ramesh said action should be initiated against officials who allowed service providers to dig roads illegally.