KOCHI: The Kochi Corporation on Monday filed a criminal complaint against the Ernakulam office of BSNL for allegedly conducting illegal road cutting work in the city. According to the complaint filed by the Corporation secretary with the Kadavanthra police, BSNL has carried out illegal road cutting up to a length of 80 m for laying cables at Sahodaran Ayyappan road.
“The BSNL has initiated road cutting with the permission of the Corporation. It is a violation of Section 375 of the Municipality Act. A case should be registered under the 1984 Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act,” said the complaint filed with the police.
“Illegal road cutting by a government-owned firm is a serious issue. We have also sought an explanation from the principal general manager of BSNL,” Mayor Soumini Jain said. However, BSNL officers have refuted the charge. “It may have been carried out by some private telecom company. We are not involved in the work and have informed the same to the corporation. We never initiate any work without the Corporation’s permission,” said the BSNL spokesperson.