Athira T.S. Comments on DoT’s Direction Regarding Network Deployment at Navi Mumbai International Airport
In a significant development concerning telecom infrastructure access, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has asked the Adani Group to permit telecom operators to deploy their networks at Navi Mumbai International Airport. Commenting on the regulatory implications, Athira T. S., stated:
“If Navi Mumbai International Airport is treated as a public entity under the Right-of-Way (RoW) framework of the Telecommunications Act, its role shifts from a commercial gatekeeper to a statutory access provider. The airport operator would be restricted to recovering only reasonable administrative and restoration costs directly linked to the RoW permission.”
Athira further emphasised that pricing mechanisms cannot be structured to influence market access:
“Pricing cannot be used as a tool to control entry or to favour a particular deployment model. Therefore, a high monthly per-operator charge would be inconsistent with the RoW framework unless it relates to a voluntary value-added service rather than basic infrastructure access.”
Her remarks highlight the evolving interpretation of statutory access rights under the Telecommunications framework and reinforce the principle that essential digital infrastructure deployment must align with non-discriminatory and cost-based regulatory standards.
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