Last Updated:February 24, 2026, 22:24 IST

The scale of the ‘royal protocol’ appeared particularly jarring, given the telecom giant’s precarious financial health

According to an internal circular, teams of officers were assigned to handle everything from reception at the railway station to the procurement of ‘snan’ (bathing) kits for a ceremonial dip at the Triveni Sangam for Vivek Banzal. File pic/X

A routine visit by a senior BSNL official to Uttar Pradesh’s holy city of Prayagraj was abruptly cancelled after a lavish hospitality protocol went viral on social media. The controversy surrounds Vivek Banzal, a director with the state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, whose planned two-day tour on February 25-26 was scrapped following a massive public backlash.

Bureaucratic Overreach?

The uproar was triggered by a detailed office order, dated February 19, issued by a deputy general manager in the Prayagraj business area. The document laid out a minute-to-minute schedule that involved the deployment of 50 staff members to manage 21 specific tasks, many of which veered away from official duty into the realm of personal valet services.

According to the internal circular, teams of officers were assigned to handle everything from reception at the railway station to the procurement of “snan” (bathing) kits for a ceremonial dip at the Triveni Sangam. These kits were to be meticulously packed with items including towels, combs, mirrors, slippers, and even undergarments. Further instructions mandated the provision of refreshments—ranging from dry fruits and chocolates to chips and fruit juice—in the official vehicles, which were to be outfitted with fresh white towels.

Financial Irony and Social Media Backlash

The scale of the “royal protocol” appeared particularly jarring given the telecom giant’s precarious financial health. BSNL recently reported a net loss of Rs 1,357 crore for the quarter ending September 2025, primarily driven by high depreciation and the immense capital expenditure required for its 4G network rollout.

Critics on social media were quick to point out the disconnect between the company’s fiscal struggles and the deployment of senior personnel to manage a director’s laundry and snacks. Netizens sarcastically dubbed the itinerary a “maharaja-level” tour, questioning why a loss-making public sector undertaking (PSU) would waste manpower on personal errands during a religious visit.

Damage Control and Official Response

Faced with mounting criticism, BSNL headquarters acted swiftly to distance itself from the local office’s directive. By February 23, the visit was officially withdrawn. In a statement posted on social media, BSNL India clarified that the instance of “non-adherence” to professional standards had been noted and that “appropriate action” had been taken against the concerned officials.

The PSU reiterated that it has standing instructions for official visits and that the detailed Prayagraj protocol was not in conformity with its core values. While the visit was meant to include a review of the Tewa Gram GP and meetings at the CTO building, the elaborate personal arrangements overshadowed any administrative intent.

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