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KOLKATA: The government plans to establish a nearly 1,200-km direct subsea optic fibre cable link between the Indian mainland and Andaman & Nicobarislands(A&NI) to beef up telecom connectivity in the strategically located archipelago, says a confidential Planning Commission note seen by ET.
Building a dedicated subsea optic fibre link between Chennai and Port Blair is seen "as the best approach" to strengthen telecom connectivity to the A&NI in the light of "strategic, defence and internal security interests," say the minutes of an internal Planning Commission meeting attended by top officials of the telecom department, defence ministry and Telecom Consultants India (TCIL).
Earlier suggestions to branch off a 'spur' or feeder route to Port Blair and other islands in the Union territory from one of the three existing Chennai-Singapore international undersea cable systems have been abandoned.
At present,Bharti Airtel,Reliance CommunicationsandTata Communicationsrun independent submarine cable systems between Chennai andSingapore.
Each of these subsea cable systems spans a distance upwards of 3,100 km. DoT had beenopento the "spur concept" and had urged TCIL to examine whether it would be cheaper than investing in a new 1,200 km optic fibre subsea link between Chennai and the Andamans, which is expected to have a hefty operations and maintenance (O&M) cost component.
However, "adoption of a spur line from an international submarine cable" system has been discouraged on grounds that telecom connectivity to the A&NI archipelago needs "to be designed from the perspective of strategic and long-term needs instead of mere commercial viability," the note shows.
But a second alternative of establishing a subsea cable link between the Puri coastline and Port Blair was rejected on potential "capital cost escalation" grounds. DoT is likely to give TCIL the mandate of preparing a detailed project report, which will be submitted to theTelecom Commissionfor approval by June 30.
The capex component of project, which will be implemented in two phases, will be met by Universal Services Obligation Fund (USOF).
DoT and the Planning Commission will work together "to create adequate budget provision for such capital investment," the note adds. Annual operational expenses are proposed to be met by the Union territory administration in the form of viability gapfunding.
Government plans to establish subsea optic fibre link between Indian Mainland and Andaman Nicobar islands - The Economic Times
Building a dedicated subsea optic fibre link between Chennai and Port Blair is seen "as the best approach" to strengthen telecom connectivity to the A&NI in the light of "strategic, defence and internal security interests," say the minutes of an internal Planning Commission meeting attended by top officials of the telecom department, defence ministry and Telecom Consultants India (TCIL).
Earlier suggestions to branch off a 'spur' or feeder route to Port Blair and other islands in the Union territory from one of the three existing Chennai-Singapore international undersea cable systems have been abandoned.
At present,Bharti Airtel,Reliance CommunicationsandTata Communicationsrun independent submarine cable systems between Chennai andSingapore.
Each of these subsea cable systems spans a distance upwards of 3,100 km. DoT had beenopento the "spur concept" and had urged TCIL to examine whether it would be cheaper than investing in a new 1,200 km optic fibre subsea link between Chennai and the Andamans, which is expected to have a hefty operations and maintenance (O&M) cost component.
However, "adoption of a spur line from an international submarine cable" system has been discouraged on grounds that telecom connectivity to the A&NI archipelago needs "to be designed from the perspective of strategic and long-term needs instead of mere commercial viability," the note shows.
But a second alternative of establishing a subsea cable link between the Puri coastline and Port Blair was rejected on potential "capital cost escalation" grounds. DoT is likely to give TCIL the mandate of preparing a detailed project report, which will be submitted to theTelecom Commissionfor approval by June 30.
The capex component of project, which will be implemented in two phases, will be met by Universal Services Obligation Fund (USOF).
DoT and the Planning Commission will work together "to create adequate budget provision for such capital investment," the note adds. Annual operational expenses are proposed to be met by the Union territory administration in the form of viability gapfunding.
Government plans to establish subsea optic fibre link between Indian Mainland and Andaman Nicobar islands - The Economic Times
