Phone, data services hit as roadwork snaps BSNL

CHENNAI: A road project of the State Highways in Aminjikarai, which involved digging of roads, led to snapping of under-ground Optical Fibre Cables (OFC) of the Bharat Sanchar Nigal Ltd (BSNL) resulting in disruption of mobile, landline and broadband services.According to BSNL sources, the road project undertaken by the Highways department on the stretch between Anna Arch and Ampa Skywalk was carried out without any consultation with the BSNL officials.“We had a meeting with the Highways to coordinate the rerouting of the Optical Fibre Cables as and when the trenching works intersect with the pillars,” the BSNL source said.“The holes drilled along that road thus far has led to the disconnection of seven cables affecting the BSNL services across the board,” he said. An emergency consultative meeting was held on Friday on how to resume work on that stretch without further damages and it was attended by divisional engineers from Highways and the top-brass of BSNL Chennai.Meanwhile, BSNL sought time till Wednesday to reroute the cables and the Highways stressed that the rerouting should be completed within two days time.