Cellular operators to shift towers from residential areas

To provide better network coverage in the city,the Chandigarh Administration has asked cellular operators to shift their towers from residential areas to new locations so that the towers could be erected in a planned manner. While the cellular operators submitted a list of 55 locations to the UT Administration,21 locations have been approved for the immediate setting up of towers.

The decision was taken during a meeting chaired by UT Finance Secretary Sanjay Kumar. He said the operators should install antennas on high-rise buildings to cut costs.

Kumar also asked UT Chief Engineer to work out the rents to be charged from the operators for the governmental buildings.

It was decided that a single tower will be shared by at least three mobile operators and a maximum by five.

However,no two operators of the same mobile company will be permitted to function from one site.

The maximum height of a pole has been fixed at 50 metres from the ground.