The Chennai Corporation has identified illegal cables laid by telecom and broadband companies in various parts of the city. The violators include companies belonging to the State and Central governments.
According to data compiled and shared with mediapersons by Corporation Commissioner G. Prakash on Wednesday, Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable has illegally laid cables in roads covering 185 km. BSNL has also laid illegal cables in Chennai covering 168 km of roads in the 426 sq km of the city. But BSNL has not paid the excess track rent to the Corporation.
The civic body has given permission for 5,167 km of optic fibre cables of 27 companies, but officials have identified 14,276 km of cables in all the 15 zones.
The Corporation has started initiating action against the companies, collecting excess track rent of ₹74.6 crore. A few have paid the excess track rent of ₹19.49 crore to the Corporation. Most of the companies have not paid the excess track rent. Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable has not paid the excess track rent to Chennai Corporation.
Jio Digital Fibre Pvt Limited has laid 2,612 km of cables but has obtained permission for just 1,219 km.
Tata Communications Broadband has illegal cables along 123 km of roads. Bharti Airtel has 1,145 km of cables but has obtained permission for 449 km.
