Tower fee: MCD to defy HC order

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has decided to challenge the Delhi high court order quashing its decision to increase the fee for installation of mobile phone towers in the city from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has decided to challenge the Delhi high court order quashing its decision to increase the fee for installation of mobile phone towers in the city from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.

HT Image

"We are seeking legal help in the matter. We will either move a larger bench of the high court or the Supreme Court if the need be. Rs 5 lakh is not too big an amount and we are sure that the companies can pay it easily," said Subhash Arya, leader of the MCD House.

In a big relief to cellular companies, the Delhi high court had on Friday struck down the civic agency's decision to increase fee for installation of mobile phone towers saying it is beyond its jurisdiction.

The MCD had on April 8, 2010 hiked the licence fee from the earlier one-time payment of Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh for every five years. While some operators did apply for regularisation, not all of them were willing to pay the increased charges as per the new policy. The operators had said that the charges were too steep.

As the civic body began a sealing drive against mobile phone towers which were not in compliance with its new rule, the operators had approached the high court, which had on May 13, 2010 restrained the civic body from sealing the structures.