New Delhi, Jan. 11 -- Imagine walking into a world-class facility such as the Navi Mumbai International Airport or commuting through the Mumbai Metro Aqua line. The architecture is futuristic, the lighting is perfect, but the moment you pull out your phone, the signal bars drop to zero. This isn't a technical failure. It is a commercial hostage situation.

A high-stakes war is currently raging between infrastructure developers and telecom operators, with the passenger caught in the dead zone.

Mint explains the ongoing connectivity issue, why the telecom and infrastructure operators are refusing to budge, what the rules say, and how the government is responding.

On 25 December, when the Adani group-owned Navi Mumbai International Airport...