MTNL officers' issue trips new connections in Mumbai

State-owned telecom major Mahanagar Telephone Nigam (MTNL) is facing a shortage of landline instruments in Mumbai and Delhi, which could delay new connections.

The delay is due to non -allotment of instruments from the headquarters in the wake of the Indian Telecom Services (ITS) officers issue.

"There is a shortage of landline instruments in both Mumbai and Delhi due to the lack of allocation from the head office. Lack of ITS officials at the headquarters has resulted in work being piled up," said sources.

However, they did not reveal the magnitude of the problem, but only said it to be substantial. The shortage would impact the provision of the new connections for a short term as the instruments are expected to arrive next week.

But industry sources said that the shortage could be as high as 4,000 units each in both the metros. However, it was not confirmed.

Top MTNL officials denied there was any shortage.

"I don't think there is any shortage and all our new rollouts are moving as per the schedule," an official said.

However, they admitted that there could be certain logistics issues, which could hamper the movement of equipments from the manufacturing bases. The officials said the same might result in inventory depletion, due to late arrival of instruments, but "it couldn't be termed as a shortage."

The ITS officers' imbroglio had resulted in 1,300 "Group A" officers staying away from work at both the PSUs-Bharat Sanchar Nigam and MTNL.

The ITS officers have moved courts in various parts of the country, protesting against shifting them to a special cell after their contract with the PSUs expired. While both the PSUs believe that the strike has not affected services, analysts claimed that there was a considerable impact.

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Non-allotment of instruments from headquarters caused the shortage

MTNL denies shortage, calls it only a logistics problem

Shortage is the result of the ITS officers' issue