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HC defers hearing in cable damage case

With the Municipal Corporation of Delhi banning digging of trenches for laying cables in the Capital and the Lt. Governor calling a meeting to review the situation arising out of the damage caused to over 8,000 MTNL lines allegedly by two private companies, the Delhi High court on Saturday deferred hearing on the matter till July 6.

MCD counsel S Mukherjee told Justice Mukul Mudgal that the corporation has banned from Saturday till July 5 the digging of trenches by any party in the city, including the MTNL, while Lt Governor Vijai Kapoor has called an urgent meeting of all the agencies concerned to discuss the issue.

Meanwhile, counsel for New Delhi Municipal Council told the court that it had granted permission to dig trenches to private parties including Bharti and Reliance Industries till June 25 and from July four no agency would be allowed to dig in its area in view of the monsoon season.

Counsel for MCD and NDMC, however, stated that the ban would not apply to any digging for repair and maintenance of existing cables and other civic services.

Additional Solicitor General Mukul Rohtagi, appearing for MTNL, alleged that over 8,000 telephone lines had been damaged by Bharti and Reliance due to "negligent" digging for laying of cables causing huge losses to MTNL.

MTNL, which had filed a suit against Bharti seeking to restrain it from laying cables, said a similar suit against Reliance industries would be filed by Monday.

Without passing any direction, the court permitted Bharti to fill up the trenches it had dug so far.

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