Out of 847 sites identified, land allocated to 751 locations – Kashmir Reader

Lina Portman4 weeks ago

0 2 minutes read

Srinagar: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo today chaired the meeting of the 5th National Broadband Committee, constituted to oversee the process of providing affordable and universal broadband access to all rural and remote pockets of Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting, besides ACS, Forests, Principal Secretary, PDD, Principal Secretary, Finance, Secretary-Commissioner, Secretary-Commissioner IT, H&UDD, Secretary, RDD, Secretary, R&B, Secretary, Revenue, was attended by representatives of the service area under license J&K, Union Ministry of Telecommunications and BSNL.
The Chief Secretary, while assessing the works carried out so far by the UT Telecom Agency to cover all remote areas under broadband and 4G network, laid emphasis on setting deadlines for the completion of each component. He requested that a joint survey of RDD and BSNL be conducted to assess the preparedness of all Panchayats for installation of OFC and functionality of VSATs, provided earlier. He directed the telecommunications agency to facilitate the department in accordance with the earlier memorandum of understanding signed between them.
He highlighted the need to provide them with access to the customer management portal and establish a helpline for complaints registration with proper follow-up by providing a team of technicians for each block. He also requested that these tasks be completed in the coming days. He assured the company of all possible assistance from the UT government enabling a better environment for execution of its programs. He said the government is committed to providing amenities such as land, electricity and other necessary support to help the agency complete its works on time.
In a presentation, BSNL highlighted the overall performance of each of its works undertaken here as part of this broadband mission. It was informed that the objective of this mission is to bridge the digital divide for digital empowerment and inclusion, and provide affordable and universal access to broadband for all.
He was informed that the result of this national mission is to ensure access to broadband in all villages, the availability of broadband and to accelerate fiberization there. It was added that the company will improve connectivity and quality of service by increasing tower density, fiberizing telecom towers and facilitating the deployment of 5G network and strengthening of 4G network in rural areas.
It was revealed that out of the 847 sites identified in J&K, land has been allotted at 751 locations by the Ministries of Finance and Forests for 4G saturation in the UT. It was informed that foundation works in 333 sites had been completed and the same works were underway in 118 other sites. In addition, 231 towers have been erected, of which 26 have been put into operation and 11 BTS put on air so far.
Regarding the status of VSAT in Gram Panchayats, it was informed that the same has been provided in 692 locations. It was added that some of them had developed technical glitches or other issues rendering many of them non-functional.
The CGM, BSNL, has assured that it will soon develop a road map for the restoration of these non-functional GPs.
Regarding the Ammended Bharat Net Program (ABP-Phase III), it was informed that the Government of India has approved it for all of India, including J&K. It was revealed that the 427 GPs and BHQs covered in Phase I would be covered under the OFC ring architecture and the 692 GPs covered by satellite would be integrated into the OFC ring.
For the remaining 3,180 GPs and BHQs discovered, it was indicated that the NBA plans to integrate them into the OFC ring architecture with MPLS routers to be installed on the 4,299 GPs and 285 BHQs.
Further, it was informed that OLT would be installed in all GPs to extend FTTH broadband connections to GPs, BHQs, neighboring government institutions and nearby rural population.