KARACHI, Nov 28: The Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) is considering claiming Rs16 million as compensation for damages of its underground cable network in the city caused by various civic agencies.

A PTCL spokesman here on Tuesday said that about 8,000 lines were disturbed in the recent past due to major damages to the underground network caused by various civic agencies in SITE, DHA, Landhi, Korangi, EPZA, Lyari and Clifton exchanges.

He said that PTCL suffered losses to the tune of Rs16.1 million. The PTCL held the CDGK, KESC, KWSB, SITE Ltd, and others responsible for damages as they executed uplift work without intimating PTCL and damaged the underground cables during excavation. Besides, he said that optical fibre network in various areas was also damaged.

The spokesman quoted the GM, STR-II as saying: “PTCL is taking necessary steps to claim compensation for the losses caused by civic agencies and utilities.”

He said that necessary repair work was launched by the phone company and in most of the areas; the damaged network had been rectified.