Indian Telegraph (Infrastructure Safety) Rules, 2022

Why in News?

• The Department of Telecommunications under the Ministry of Communications has recently formulated the Indian Telegraph (Infrastructure Safety) Rules, 2022.

Highlights

• The Central government has envisioned fulfilling the communication needs of the citizens and enterprises through establishment of a resilient, secure, accessible and affordable Digital Communications Infrastructure and Services.
• Under the Rules, any person who wishes to exercise a legal right to dig or excavate any property which is likely to cause damage to a telegraph infrastructure must give notice to the licensee.
• The person digging or excavating shall take appropriate action on precautionary measures provided by the licensee.
• Any person, who has dug or excavated any property causing damage to a telegraph infrastructure, will be liable to pay the damage charges to the telegraph authority.
• Once the asset owner agencies map their underlying assets with GIS coordinates on PM GatiShakti National Master Plan platform, it will also be possible to know the presence of underlying utility assets, at the point of interest, before start of excavation
• Many utilities can be saved from unwanted cuts and wasteful costs towards restoration.
• Thus, saving thousands of crores for businesses and associated tax loss to Government.
• Inconvenience caused to citizens because of frequent breakdown may be reduced due to better synergy between the agencies.