‘Royal Protocol’ Row: BSNL Director Vivek Banzal’s Prayagraj Visit Cancelled After SOP Leak Triggers Uproar

In Prayagraj – When Butter Flowed — And Suddenly Disappeared …

A controversy has erupted within BSNL after an unusually detailed hospitality protocol prepared for Director (CFA) Vivek Banzal’s proposed February 25 visit to Prayagraj went viral on social media, forcing the sudden cancellation of the tour.

What was meant to be a routine official visit quickly turned into a major embarrassment for the public sector telecom company after the minute-to-minute Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) — describing elaborate arrangements for the director’s stay and personal comfort — surfaced online.

50+ Officials Deployed for Visit

According to internal communications issued on February 19 by a senior BSNL officer, more than 50 officials were assigned specific duties to ensure that the director faced no inconvenience during the visit. The protocol mapped out every movement of the day, specifying where the director would go, who would accompany him, and which officer would handle each responsibility.

Officials were instructed to manage the entire daily schedule — from arrival logistics and meals to religious visits and bathing arrangements at the Sangam.

Personal Arrangements Raise Eyebrows

The SOP attracted sharp criticism because of the level of personal detail included in the arrangements. Instructions reportedly directed officers to arrange items such as underwear, towels, slippers, bath kits, combs and hair oil bottles. Special emphasis was placed on ensuring that not even a towel was missed.

Separate teams were tasked with organising a Sangam bath and boat ride, along with visits to major religious sites including the Hanuman temple, Akshayavat and Patalpuri temple. Officers were also directed to arrange breakfast and lunch, escort the director to the bathing area, and procure dry fruits, chocolates and multiple bath kits — six for men and two for women.

A senior officer was specifically assigned to oversee post-bath arrangements so that all personal requirements were immediately available.

Viral Protocol Sparks Backlash

Soon after the document began circulating widely on internet media platforms, users reacted strongly, with many sarcastically calling it an “excellent SOP” while questioning the use of public resources and the culture of VIP hospitality within government organisations.

The detailed nature of the arrangements — particularly the deployment of dozens of officials for personal logistics — triggered debate over administrative priorities in public sector undertakings.

Visit Abruptly Cancelled

Sources said that once the matter reached higher authorities, the situation escalated quickly. Within a day of the protocol going viral, the February 25 visit was abruptly cancelled.

BSNL officials later confirmed that the director’s tour had been called off and indicated that the protocol linked to the visit should also be treated as cancelled, while avoiding further comment on the controversy.

The episode has once again reignited discussion over excessive protocol culture in public institutions, where official visits often blur the line between administrative necessity and VIP privilege.

Well, this is neither the first nor the last such episode in the PSU ecosystem. Over the years, there have been multiple instances where even serving Directors and senior bureaucrats were found seeking special arrangements — not just for themselves, but occasionally for their family members as well.

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