Sub-exchanges of BSNL to be shut down in Darjeeling

SNS, Kurseong, 14 July 2013: Several sub-exchanges of the BSNL department are likely to be closed down in Darjeeling Hills, mainly due to the frequent thefts of telephone cables. It was learnt that every year, a huge number of telephone cables are stolen from different places in the Hills. 

Such kind of frequent practices have severely dented the BSNL department which has now made the department difficult to run even these sub-exchanges, properly located in various small towns and villages in the Hills. In Kurseong region only, so far, three sub telephone exchanges have already been closed and more are about to follow suit due to constant theft of cables. 

An official, Mr A Nasker, the BSNL Kurseong, said the way in which the telephone cables are being lost due to theft has become a subject of concern in how to look after the sub-exchanges properly. He also informed that such kind of incidents is not a new thing but it has become a trend, which has been occurring for the past several years. The pilfering of cables has been going on since it was first laid and continues even today. 

He also said that the theft of cables have been reported from rural areas to urban areas, even in front of the police station. Not only underground cables, but even overhead cables are not excluded. He said that three sub-stations have already been shut down at Ghayabari, Mahanadi and Margarets Hope T.E. 

One or two of such sub-exchanges are also on the verge of closing down. 

The sub-exchanges that are presently in working condition in the Kurseong BSNL Sub-division area are in Dowhill, Ten Micro Wave, St. Mary’s Hill, Tung, Giddhapahar, Tindharia, Sonada and Bagora Air Force Station.