DDA approves of cell towers in residential areas, cites “call drops” as reason

Thousands of protests later and after millions of letters were shot to the DDA regarding the installation of cell towers in residential colonies, it seems as if the DDA did not take any clue from it. Apparently, in a bid to address the menace of frequent call drops, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has amended the Unified Building Byelaws to allow cellphone towers in residential colonies. The changes, coming just over two months after the byelaws were notified, are likely to be opposed by RWAs that have cited concerns over radiation. The decision was taken on Friday after telecom ministry officials made a detailed presentation, including on radiation worries, before DDA members. Telecom secretary J S Deepak said new towers would solve the call drop problem in the capital. He added that 100 new sites would be set up in “ problematic areas“ to improve services. “ We are working with...civic agencies, apart from post office and cantonment authorities, to find a solution on installation of towers,“ he said. We have decided to allow cellphone towers in residential areas as the problem of call drops is serious,“ said a senior DDA official. The provision for towers was part of the old building byelaws, officials said. “ It was not included in the recently notified building bylaws. We have just added the clause in the new byelaws,“ said an official. At the meeting on Friday, telecom ministry officials are learned to have told DDA members that there was no concrete evidence of any harmful effect of radiation from cellphone towers. “ The radiation limits set in India are much lower than those prescribed in many other countries,“ said a senior ministry official. The Delhi government will notify the amended byelaws for the municipal corporations within 10 days. As per an amendment in the DMC Act in 2011 during trifurcation of the erstwhile MCD, the power to notify such laws was given to the state government. Sources said permission to erect towers would be given subject to approval from Airports Authority of India (for height), the fire department and Delhi Urban Arts Commission. “ It will be considered a structure like any other building. The corporation will have to check the structural stability of the building on which the tower is erected to ensure that the entire structure is safe,“ said a DDA official. Cellular operators have been finding it difficult to install towers as RWAs had opposed them, raising concerns over the possible harmful effects of radiation. Bharti Airtel, Vodafone, Idea Cellular and other operators have argued that failure to procure sites for installing telecom towers has been a major factor behind poor services. The three municipal corporations in Delhi have not being allocating sites to telecom operators in residential areas either.

OUR TAKE

To be fair to the DDA, the choice was a tough one. After all, at one point of time it is like choosing the lesser evil- the hazards of cell towers in the residential complexes or the high number of call drops across the Capital. The DDA had to choose one or the other. Although, for the shorter period of time, it seems as if the DDA made the correct decision. In the long run though, things might not pan out the way they intended it to.