(1)Where for the purpose of carrying out any engineering or building operations a river authority require an alteration to be made in any telegraphic line of the Postmaster General, the provisions of paragraphs (1) to (8) of section 7 of the Telegraph Act 1878 (which provides for the alteration of such telegraphic lines in the case of work proposed to be done in the execution of an undertaking authorised by an Act of Parliament) shall apply with respect to that alteration as being an alteration involved by work proposed to be done by undertakers (within the meaning of that Act) in the execution of an undertaking authorised by an Act of Parliament, if apart from this section those provisions would not so apply.
(2)The preceding subsection shall have effect whether the operations in question are to be carried out in the exercise of compulsory powers or not, and, if in the exercise of compulsory powers, whether or not the alteration of the telegraphic line is expressly referred to in any statutory provision conferring those powers.
(3)In this section " telegraphic line " and " alteration " have the same meanings as in the Telegraph Act 1878.