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Journalism of Courage
MUMBAI, JULY 25: Lakhs of Kalyan Telecom District (KTD) subscribers from Dombivili, Kalyan, Ulhasnagar, Ambernath, Badlapur, Karjat, Titwala, Kasara, Padgha, Bhiwandi, Vasai, Virar, Wada and Palghar cannot call Thane (where most of the district administration offices are located), Chembur, Ghatkopar, Mulund or Bhandup for over a fortnight.
“The line’s busy…’ message plays even when attempts are made to call these places past midnight," complained Mansih Chaumal, resident of Ulhasnagar. “It has been difficult getting through to numbers beginning with `5′ all along but now it is impossible."
Beleagured subscribers have began dialling friends in Mumbai to pass on messages or ask people who they can’t contact to call them instead. However, even this strategy is not working since the traffic from the other end is also hit for last three days. Also, it is not always feasible to ask the other party to call back.
Meanwhile, officials at the KTD and the Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd. (MTNL) blame each otherfor the problem. While officials at MTNL Prabhadevi exchange maintain that it is for the KTD to sort out technical problems at their end, KTD insists that the problem is entirely on account of the increased telphone traffic. "We have asked the MTNL to increase the capacity of the lines. It is still to happen," complained the KTD General Manager M S Nithyanantham on Sunday.
