This New Year seems to be ushering in better mobile connectivity and brighter roads in the city. Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) has come up with a profitable strategy to make way for mobile towers hauled up on high masts in the heart of the city that will not only ensure no-call drops and light up roads but also generate revenue from the same.
The civic body has shortlisted two telecom service provider companies and two Infrastructure companies namely, Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, Bharti Infratel and American Tower Company (ATC) through their tender process. “These companies were selected after the completion of tender process in August and they are supposed to install 48 such towers at public places. In fact, the installation process for the same has begun at Birsa Bus Stand in Kantatoli, Bank Chowk at Harmu and Albert Ekka Chowk wherein the old light poles are being replaced,” said Ram lakhan Prasad Gupta, Assistant Municipal Commissioner, RMC.
Meanwhile, Nagendra Dubey, section-in-charge (light), RMC said that the best part of this plan is that the civic body need not shell out even a penny for the entire project. “The RMC has divided the areas under the project in to three different zones. We will be receiving a rent of Rs12,000 to Rs8,000 every month for each pole in the city depending on the zones. The rate is subject to a five per cent increment every year,” said Dubey.
Dubey further stated the areas that fall under the different zones of A, B and C. Zone A covers areas starting from Kutchery Chowk to Rajendra Chowk, Ratu Road Chowk to Kanta Toli Chowk and Hinoo Chowk. Zone B starts from Hinoo Chowk to HEC Gate, Booty More via Karamtoli Chowk to Sujata Chowk through Siramtoli, Ranchi Station Road, Patel Chowk, Argora Chowk and Kadru overbridge. The remaining areas fall under Zone C and the monthly rental charges for the companies are Rs12,000, Rs10,000 and Rs8,000 for Zone A, B and C respectively.
Moreover, the project is believed to lighten up the city roads and also increase revenue generation for the civic body as the electricity bill and the maintenance will also be taken care of by the four concerned companies.