COAI Flags RoW Dispute With Adani-Owned Navi Mumbai Airport Over High Telecom Charges

The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has approached the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) alleging that Navi Mumbai International Airport Ltd (NMIAL), owned by the Adani Group, has denied Right of Way (RoW) permissions and imposed excessive charges for deploying telecom infrastructure at the newly operational airport. Commercial operations at the airport began on December 25. COAI has sought regulatory intervention, claiming NMIAL’s actions violate statutory frameworks and amount to monopolistic practices, a charge the airport operator has denied.

COAI, which represents major telecom players including Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio Infocomm and Vodafone Idea, said its members were prevented from independently deploying their own 4G and 5G networks and in-building solutions (IBS) to ensure seamless connectivity. Instead, the association alleged that NMIAL has compelled operators to use its own installed network at steep rates of around ₹92 lakh per month per operator, translating to nearly ₹44.16 crore annually for four operators. COAI argued these charges far exceed what is permitted under RoW Rules, which restrict fees to administrative and restoration costs.

The association further claimed that NMIAL, a VNO Cat-B licensee, has unlawfully granted itself exclusive RoW rights under the guise of being a neutral host, in violation of the Telecommunications Act, 2023, and licence conditions. In response, NMIA said it has not denied RoW permissions and that its neutral-host IBS model follows industry standards and security requirements. The airport operator maintained it is offering network access at reasonable rates, is providing complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi due to delays by operators, and remains open to mutual agreement while rejecting allegations of cartelisation.

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