The Telecom Infrastructure Providers Group announced on Thursday that it has written to states seeking a reduction in power tariffs on the Maharashtra Line as a relief measure for the industry in the midst of the coronavirus crisis.
The Maharashtra State Electricity Regulatory Commission (MSERC) reduced the electricity tariff by 10 to 15 per cent in order to boost the state's industrial and commercial sector and announced several other relief measures, according to a statement by the Tower and Infrastructure Providers Association (Taipa).
Taip, whose members include Bharti Infratel, Indus Towers, ATC, etc., said that infrastructure companies have installed more than towers supporting around 100-strong subscribers ensuring smooth telecommunications connectivity across the country.
It stated that the seamless operation of the telecommunications infrastructure consisting of telecommunications towers is necessary to ensure uninterrupted round-the-clock connectivity to support home work, to provide various critical services and to maintain state-wide communication, including for those involved in rescue and preventive coronavirus operations at various levels.
"Therefore, at this critical juncture, the requirement of having such kind of support is needed for the hour when the country is passing through one of the most debilitating epidemics in the form of Covid-19," Taipa said.
The industry body has written letters to 26 states and 2 union territories seeking relief. This includes all the states of the North East, Gujarat, Odisha , West Bengal, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh , Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, etc.
"We believe that our submission would merit the kind consideration and looking forward for the supporting making a progressive step for the benefit of the consumers like Telecom Infrastructure Providers (IP-1) by supplying electricity at the lower rates for telecom tower operations in all the states in view of present situation due to Covid-19 outbreak," Taipa Director General TR Dua said.
The group said that relief on the Maharashtra line will support telecommunications infrastructure providers in view of the current situation as the use of telecommunications services and telecommunications infrastructure (telecom towers) has increased in number, requiring uninterrupted and much more round-the-clock electricity supply.
