Goa eases setting up of mobile towers

PANAJI: The state cabinet on Wednesday approved the Goa Telecom Infrastructure Policy 2020, which provides for a single window clearance by the PWD to install mobile towers in government and private properties. CM Pramod Sawant said that mobile towers will be set up in government-owned land on priority. He said only an NOC from the property owner will be needed to permit mobile tower installation in private property.
Sawant said that this new policy will help improve internet connectivity across Goa for children currently attending classes online.
“The salient feature is that areas have been divided into urban, semi-urban and rural and no permission from local bodies will be required to install mobile towers. The scheme will be under IT department, but the PWD will be the implementing agency. A one-time grant of Rs 50,000 will be given to local bodies. For urban areas, Rs 50,000 will be the monthly rent for operators of mobile service. In rural areas, Rs 25,000 will be the rent,” said Sawant.
PWD and other departments will issue the permissions to set up the towers and cables without any delay. The policy is to streamline the process to grant permissions to set up the towers, he said.
There are around 250 applications pending for setting up of towers, but now those applicants will have to submit their proposals afresh under the new policy, the chief minister said.
“At present, if anyone wants to set up towers then we will give them permissions. We are not raising any infrastructure by spending government money. The media is highlighting how someone is climbing hills, someone is climbing trees and someone is sitting atop their house to get network coverage to attend online classes. Now, if we need to give them (the children) infrastructure then we will have to permit those who are willing to have the tower set up in their property,” Sawant said, reacting to a question on opposition to mobile towers in Goa in residential areas.
He said that in the case of proposals to set up mobile towers in private properties, the PWD will examine the proposal if it is a congested residential area and then decide accordingly.
“We will prioritise setting up of towers in government properties first,” said Sawant.