COAI Slams MMRC’s Telecom Infrastructure Model for Metro Line 3, Citing Telecom Act Violations

Telcos Oppose MMRC’s Vendor-Driven Plan for Metro Line 3, Say It Violates Telecom Act: COAI
The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), representing major telecom players Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio, and Vodafone Idea, has strongly objected to the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation’s (MMRC) telecom infrastructure deployment model for Metro Line 3, calling it illegal, anti-consumer, and in violation of the Telecommunication Act, 2023. Metro Line 3 refers to the Colaba–Bandra–Aarey corridor.

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COAI Raises Alarm Over Infrastructure Model

According to COAI, the core of the dispute lies in MMRC’s decision to award the deployment of telecom infrastructure to a third-party Infrastructure Provider Category-I (IP-I) vendor through an internal tendering process.

“Under the current telecom licensing framework, IP-I providers are prohibited from deploying active infrastructure. This move not only breaches the Telecommunication Act, 2023, but also sidelines licensed Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) who are legally authorized and technically equipped to independently deploy mobile networks,” the COAI said in a statement Monday, April 21, 2025.

COAI said deploying of such network(s) are a norm, even in important places like the PWD tunnel in Pragati Maidan or the Central Vista wherein the TSPs are laying infrastructure without paying any cost to anyone, including third-party firms.

Also Read: Airtel Launches Seamless 5G Connectivity on Mumbai Metro Aqua Line

TSPs Offered Zero-Cost Solution

All three TSPs had jointly proposed to install a common In-Building Solution (IBS) network across the metro corridor at their own cost, ensuring seamless and uninterrupted connectivity for commuters — without any financial burden on MMRC, as per COAI.

However, the association alleged that the metro authority rejected their request for Right of Way (RoW) permissions, citing the award of the project to a vendor selected through its internal processes.

“This decision prioritizes commercial gains over public convenience and stands in blatant violation of the Telecommunication Act, 2023, which guarantees fair, non-discriminatory access to public infrastructure for licensed TSPs,” COAI said.