NMMC to charge utility firms for using land

PROPOSAL Civic body, which used to charge only for digging, will charge annual rent for giving land for public utility services

CBD BELAPUR: The companies which want to dig roads to lay underground cables and pipelines will now be charged an annual rent.

The general body of the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) passed the proposal on Friday.

The NMMC is the authority to give permission for digging of roads for electricity, telephone, natural gas and other public utility services provided by individuals and companies in Navi Mumbai.

Of these, for laying optical fibre cable network, only those companies which have been given Right of Way permission (ROW) for Navi Mumbai by the state government, are given permission by the NMMC to dig the roads to lay the cables.

The companies are charged on the basis of the cables required along the proposed road for laying the cable as specified by the state government. The companies have to pay 50% of the specified charges to the state government and the rest 50% to the NMMC.

They also have to pay road repair and supervision charges to NMMC following which permission is granted for digging roads to lay optic fibre cables.

Municipal commissioner Dinesh Waghmare said, “As of now, the ROW charges are collected only from telecom companies. The companies that lay electric cables or gas pipeline, pay only the road-digging charges, road repair and supervision charges.”

He added, “While such companies dig the roads and lay cables and pipelines permanently underground and use it for commercial purpose permanently, NMMC does not earn any revenue from it.”

Waghmare said, “Taking into account the public interest with respect to electric, telecommunication, natural gas and other such public utilities, the civic body has decided to give its land used for public utility purpose on leave and licence basis and charge an annual rent for it.”

The NMMC has also decided to collect with retrospective effect the rent from the companies whose cables and pipelines have been laid on roads.

Waghmare said, “As per the new policy, the land in NMMC area or under NMMC jurisdiction will be given for public utility services subject to certain rules and regulations.”

As per the new policy, the land in NMMC area or under NMMC jurisdiction will be given for public utility services subject to certain rules and regulations. DINESH WAGHMARE, municipal commissioner