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MTNL accuses Bharti of damaging its cables

MTNL on Friday moved the Delhi high court seeking to restrain Bharti Telenet from laying down its cables in the capital saying the private telecom company has damaged its cable network by digging trenches and rendering its thousands telephones and other services non-functional.

Accusing Bharti of carrying on its cable laying work negligently, additional solicitor general Mukul Rohtagi, appearing for MTNL, told Justice Mukul Mudgal that the company was flouting all the guidelines under which it had to work, and had caused irreparable damage to the Nigam.

Rohtagi said MTNL's cable network had been damaged at several places resulting in paralysing of its services including in the VIP areas.

Stating that the private company has been digging pits throughout the city at a high speed, Rohtagi maintained it was carrying out the operation in "violation of the provisions of Indian Telegraphic Act without giving prior notice to MTNL".

MTNL also accused Bharti of not using ground positioning

radar system while digging the trenches. GPRS is an effective equipment used for locating the underground cables before digging the place, MTNL counsel told the court.

Bharti's counsel Rajeev Shafder said the GPRS was not much effective as it gives only 60 to 70 per cent result.

He, in turn accused MTNL of not providing the company the maps of its cable routes, which was causing it a lot of hardship in carrying out the cable laying network.

He also claimed that the company had repaired the damaged cables at several places.

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