Mumbai: MSRDC offers right to install BTS equipment on poles of Bandra-Worli Sealink and flyovers for 5 yrs

The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation(MSRDC) has offered rights in lieu of revenue to install base transceiver station (BTS) equipment for telecommunication network on poles of Bandra-Worli Sea Link and flyovers in &around Mumbai. Two separate tenders have been issued inviting interested bidders to participate on or before May 20 of this year. Interested one have to submit bids on payment of Rs two lakh and one lakh respectively besides making the earnest money deposits.

The selected bidder will be given rights for BTS installation for a period of five years. According to the MSRDC, the permission will be granted to the highest bidder who quotes for the rights and accordingly the said party will be selected.

In fact, the BTS are installed by telecom companies and considering there are lots of competitors MSRDC expecting competitive bids. However, both tenders have been called for the second time by MSRDC.

According to the official, the BTS equipment is a major source of revenue other than toll and advertisement rights that MSRDC gets. Whereas the revenue earned through BTS rights can be utilised for further improvement of infrastructure development and maintenance of existing infrastructure like flyovers and sealink, it added.

BTS is an equipment which is used to establish or improve cellular and internet connectivity. The equipment works as a replacement for the tall mobile towers which cannot be installed in a city like Mumbai due to space constraints.

In past, MSRDC similarly leased out poles on the various structures of the flyovers and bridges for a period of five years to companies through a bidding process for installation of BTS. Since the contract expired now it has called tenders for another five years.