Demand for removal of mobile phone towers

VADODARA, Aug 10: Even as the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) has sought opinion of the Civil Aviation department and structural eng...

VADODARA, Aug 10: Even as the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) has sought opinion of the Civil Aviation department and structural engineer about transmission towers put up by mobile phone companies on buildings, a section of councillors have demanded that the towers be removed as they could cause harm to life and property.

The councillors alleged that the mobile phone companies had not taken the VMC’s permission for erecting towers. Demanding that the towers be removed, they pointed out that the heavy towers could prove dangerous if they fell or collapsed under their own weight.

The issue was taken up in the General Board meeting held on Monday.Replying to a query by BJP councillor Rajendra Trivedi, Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Administration) H S Patel said the VMC had given notices to companies in connection with setting up 16 towers. The towers were not razed as opinions of civil aviation department and structural engineer were awaited, Patel said, adding that the towers did not even come under the purview of the development control regulations.

When Patel suggested that a policy decision needed to be taken on the issue, Trivedi and Lokshahi Morcha councillor Chandrakant Shrivastav questioned that if the owner of any unauthorised construction sought permission for legalising the building, would permission be granted? Making a critical statement, former deputy mayor Bhupendra Patel alleged that certificates of experts could be “obtained”. He demanded that no concessions be given to any mobile phone companies and their towers be removed immediately. Patel suggested that companies should seek permission to erect towers on corporation land, which would help the civic body earn revenue.