Phones dead, but BSNL still charges

[Atul Patankar]

As reported by Principal Correspondent at www.sakaaltimes.com on 6 March 2009

PUNE: The number of dead BSNL landline telephones is on the rise in the city. Between July last year and January this year, 52,460 telephones in the city had gone dead. The figure of dead telephones for 15 months from April 2007 was 24,430.

And despite the rule that consumers are entitled for rent rebate in case of dead telephones for more than three days, the company has provided rebate to just 1,675 consumers, who had demanded it.

What could be more distressing for the consumers is that BSNL is facing problems in setting the dead telephones right since both Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) are demanding ‘hefty’ amount from BSNL for digging roads.

Principal general manager of BSNL Pune circle V K Mahendra in a written response to an RTI application filed by Sajag Nagrik Manch has cited cable faults, cable damage, cable cut due to road widening work as the reasons for telephones going dead.

“We are finding it difficult to undertake repair work since the civic bodies have increased the fees for digging roads for laying or repairing of underground cables. How can the company dole out such huge amount for carrying out such work,” wondered an official of the telephone company.
However, Sajag Nagrik Manch president Vivek Velankar has lashed out at the telephone company for its alleged poor quality of services that it is rendering to the consumers.

Velankar has shot off a letter to Mahendra demanding improvement in the quality of services.

“I think Pune must be having the highest number of dead telephones in the country. This shows the deterioration of service quality and agony through which poor customers are undergoing,” he said.

“What is more shocking is that the company is not giving the legitimate rent rebate to these customers suo moto. The company must provide rent rebate even without the consumers applying for it,” Velankar demanded.
According to him, the telephone company cannot ‘wash its hand off’ on this issue by blaming the civic bodies for the poor quality of service.
“Consumers are least concerned about the reasons for the delay. Why should the hapless consumers suffer due to indifferences between the company and the civic bodies,” he questioned, suggesting that if necessary BSNL must approach district guardian minister Ajit Pawar to intervene and resolve the dispute.

PMC commissioner Pravinsinh Pardeshi has directed additional commissioner Umakant Dangat to get in touch with BSNL authorities to sort out the matter.

Source: Phones dead, but BSNL still charges

[nukebomb]

make a simple application asking for waiving off these charges , normally such chaarges are waived off

[Atul Patankar]

Nukebomb,

Here the point seems to be 'suo motto' waiving off of the rent. Not all the consumers are aware of their right. That does not mean BSNL should overcharge them, just because PMC charges for digging roads have gone up. If BSNL thinks that it can not afford to give service at present rates, it can come out and increase rates for all the consumers. The present lack of automatic waiver is apeque, and discriminatory.

[sandeepbaheti]

I agree that it should be the ideal practice, but normally BSNL waives off these charges only after the consumer asks for it.