New guidelines issued for installing mobile towers

The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has issued a 37-point guideline giving detailed rules and regulations that need to be followed while installing communication towers in Lutyens’ Delhi, officials said on Friday.
In a document issued by the Council on Thursday, the civic body laid down the NDMC policy regarding the installation of communication towers to bring “uniformity” to the area. The document mentions that the installation of towers or antennae should be done in a manner that they do not disturb the heritage and aesthetic aspects of the New Delhi area. No unauthorised Cell On Wheel (COW) will be allowed in the NDMC area, it said. “The NDMC issues the policy for the installation of mobile communication towers and related infrastructure to bring uniformity, based on the advisory guidelines issued by the Department of Telecommunication and by considering all connected factors,” an official said.
The antennae and towers, including appurtenances and equipment, should be located at the rear end of the plot and not be visible from the main entrance and road, the document said, adding that no diesel generator sets are allowed at the tower site to cater to the power requirements of the antenna. NDMC will e-auction the sites for installation of COWs in the NDMC area on designated places at approved rates initially for three years, which may be extended further for two years, they added. The mobile towers installed without permission after the issuance of this policy will be regularised as per the rules, along with a penalty of Rs 10,000 per month from the date of the tower’s existence,
they said.