Access Fee Row Stalls: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation’s (KMC) ambitious project to move the city’s messy overhead cables into underground ducts — aimed at beautifying the skyline, reducing hazards, and modernizing civic infrastructure — has hit a major hurdle. Cable operators and multi-system operators (MSOs) are resisting the civic body’s access fee structure, leaving most of the newly built ducts lying unused.
The Vision Behind the Project
Over the past decade, Kolkata has grappled with the problem of “wire clutter.” Tangled webs of overhead telephone lines, broadband cables, and TV connections criss-cross almost every major road. This not only spoils the visual appeal of the city but also poses hazards during storms, rains, or even routine maintenance.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had strongly advocated for the removal of such visual pollution, pushing KMC to lay underground ducts along important stretches of the city. The plan was simple: shift service cables underground, streamline connectivity, and clean up the skyline.
In 2022, Harish Mukherjee Road became the first area where the transition was completed. The overhead wires were removed and replaced by underground cabling, setting an example of what Kolkata could look like if the model succeeded.
The Fee Structure: A Roadblock
Despite the civic body’s enthusiasm, implementation has slowed because of the fee structure imposed on operators.
- Rate fixed by KMC: ₹20 per metre.
- Payment term: Lump-sum for 15 years in advance.
For MSOs and small cable operators, this structure is simply unaffordable. The operators argue that not only is the fee steep, but also that the 15-year prepayment makes little sense in a rapidly changing market.
Why Operators Are Reluctant
- High upfront costs: Paying for 15 years at once demands heavy capital investment. Many local operators lack such financial muscle.
- Market uncertainty: Cable TV has been losing subscribers steadily to OTT platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and JioCinema. Committing for 15 years in advance feels unrealistic.
- Falling subscriber base: Operators claim that Kolkata has lost more than one lakh cable subscribers in the last four years alone, due to rising channel prices and the shift to digital streaming.
- Risk of business collapse: With broadband and OTT taking over, some cable operators fear they might not even survive five years.
Tapash Das, convenor of the All Bengal Cable TV & Broadband Operators’ United Forum, voiced the operators’ frustration:
“We requested KMC to consider lowering the access fee and reduce the period of payment. Otherwise, this burden will fall on subscribers, who will resist because of OTT alternatives. It will be the death-knell for cable TV in Kolkata.”
Unused Ducts Across the City
While Harish Mukherjee Road saw successful cable relocation, other ducts across Kolkata remain empty.
- Stretches with ducts: Alipore Road, Hastings Park Road, Baker Road, Chetla Central Road, Belvedere Road, Judges Court Road.
- Newly extended duct line: From Ramesh Mitra Road (Bhawanipore) to JL Nehru Road (Exide crossing), covering 3 km along Asutosh Mukherjee Road.
Yet, despite the infrastructure being in place, MSOs refuse to move their lines underground unless the fees are revised.
Access Fee Row Stalls: The Operators’ Stand
Operators argue that KMC is treating all service providers — including broadband, telephone, and cable TV — as equal, even though the economics differ.
Suresh Sethia of SitiCable, one of Kolkata’s largest MSOs, explained:
“Cable TV is already on the decline. Much of the new duct use will be for broadband and telephone wires, which are growing. We requested KMC not to equate us with them and to lower the access fee for cable TV operators.”
Some MSOs have even started exploring cheaper alternatives, such as using Metro Rail’s ducts, where charges are lower than KMC’s.
KMC’s Dilemma
For the civic body, the challenge lies in balancing:
- Cost recovery: Laying and maintaining ducts is expensive. The access fee is seen as a way to recover this investment.
- Policy rigidity: With a 15-year lock-in, KMC avoids frequent renegotiations.
- Public pressure: Citizens expect a cleaner skyline and better infrastructure, something the project promised to deliver.
A senior KMC official acknowledged the problem, saying:
“We have received representations from MSOs. Their concerns are being reviewed, but the corporation cannot afford to make the system financially unsustainable.”
Why This Matters for Kolkata
1. Urban Aesthetics
The clutter of wires is particularly jarring in heritage areas. The ducts could restore the city’s colonial-era architecture to its rightful visibility, boosting tourism appeal.
2. Public Safety
Overhead wires are prone to snapping during storms, sparking fires, and blocking traffic. Underground ducts would reduce such risks dramatically.
3. Service Reliability
Broadband and telephone lines in ducts would mean fewer outages during monsoons or cyclones — a frequent problem in Kolkata.
4. Consumer Costs
If operators pass the fees to subscribers, monthly bills could rise. On the other hand, if KMC reduces fees, taxpayers may indirectly subsidize the system.
Larger Context: Cable TV vs OTT
The underground cabling debate reflects a bigger industry battle. Traditional cable television is shrinking while digital streaming grows exponentially.
- According to a TRAI report, cable TV subscriptions have been steadily declining since 2020.
- OTT platforms, driven by cheap data and smartphone penetration, are now the primary entertainment medium for millions of Indians.
For operators, this means that investing heavily in cable TV infrastructure might be a losing battle. However, for broadband service providers, the ducts could be a boon — since high-speed internet demand continues to grow.
Read about India’s OTT boom here.
Lessons from Other Cities
- Delhi: Authorities have pushed for underground cabling in Connaught Place and heritage zones. However, disputes over cost-sharing between operators and civic agencies slowed progress.
- Mumbai: In some neighbourhoods, phased payments and partial subsidies allowed smoother implementation.
- International models: Cities like Singapore mandate underground ducts with transparent, regulated access fees, ensuring fair competition.
These examples suggest Kolkata may need flexible payment terms, tiered fee structures, or public-private partnerships to succeed.
The Way Forward
Experts suggest several possible solutions:
- Staggered Payments: Instead of 15 years upfront, operators could pay annually or in 3-5 year blocks.
- Differential Rates: Lower fees for cable TV, higher for broadband, considering market demand.
- Incentives: Discounts for early adopters or small operators to prevent monopolization by big MSOs.
- Shared Duct Use: Multiple operators sharing the same duct to split costs.
- Regulatory Oversight: State or central authorities could step in to set fair pricing standards.
Citizens’ Perspective
For Kolkata residents, the benefits of underground ducts are clear: cleaner streets, safer infrastructure, and more reliable connectivity. Yet, the question remains: who pays for it?
If the stalemate continues, citizens will continue to live under a web of dangling wires, waiting for authorities and operators to reach a compromise.
Conclusion
KMC’s underground duct project is a visionary step toward modernizing Kolkata’s civic infrastructure and restoring its heritage charm. But vision alone is not enough. Unless the access fee model is revised to match industry realities, the ducts will remain empty, and the skyline will remain cluttered.
This conflict is not just about cables — it reflects the transformation of India’s media and communication landscape. As cable TV declines and broadband surges, the policies crafted today will determine not only how Kolkata looks tomorrow, but also how its citizens stay connected.
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