Cable thefts have been taking place regularly in different service areas of MTNL Mumbai. Union minister of IT and Telecommunication Milind Deora has written to Mumbai police commissioner Satyapal Singh, urging him to take urgent steps to curb such incidents. MTNL Mumbai circle’s executive director, Piyush Agrawal, too, has written to the police and administration for their intervention in the issue. Mr Agrawal, along with senior officers of MTNL Mumbai, met Mr Singh in this connection on Monday. Representatives from the Kamghar Sangh and other associations of MTNL Mumbai were also with the delegation. According a source in MTNL, “The commissioner has assured us full cooperation. He also said that wherever FIR had been lodged, the cases would be thoroughly investigated.”
Versova, Borivali, Kandivali, Chembur, Mankhurd, Ghatkopar and Thane are the main areas where cable thieves have been active for the past few months, cutting the cable to get the copper inside it. Last week, few thieves cut 170 metres of cable in Ghatkopar at night. However, they fled without the copper as they found some people patrolling nearby. This incident itself affected more than 1,500 telephone connections in Ghatkopar.
While speaking to The Asian Age, Mr Agrawal said, “It is not only huge loss of material and revenue to MTNL Mumbai, but also a great inconvenience to our esteemed customers. MTNL broadband services are in huge demand and such interruptions are very serious.”
He also said that MTNL has been doing extensive patrolling to check theft, but help from the local police will be welcome.
The telephone agency has also come up with a helpline no. 1800221500, and has appealed to the public to call at this number to inform them if they see any suspicious digging.