Port Blair, Jan 03: The Government of India, Ministry of Communication and Information Technology has decided to lay sub-marine optical fiber cable, connecting Chennai and Port Blair to improve connectivity in the Islands, the Minister of Communication & Information Technology, Mr. Ravi Shankar Prasad said at Port Blair.
Addressing a press conference at Port Blair on Sunday evening he said that once the project is cleared, open tender will be floated and the project will be taken up for execution.
“The work is expected to be completed in 2-3 years. In the second phase all other Islands will be connected to Port Blair. This is going to be a big infrastructure development in IT sector in the Islands,” the Minister said.
The Minister, however said, till then, existing problems need to be solved.
In this direction, a special plan was prepared for the A & N Islands in July and August last year. The Minister disclosed that since these Islands are strategically important, he has directed the BSNL Port Blair that a CTK system be launched to improve bandwidth which will speed up the internet connectivity.
He also mentioned that Port Blair would be developed as an IT hub by establishing Call Center, PCO and all other e-facilities such as Common Services Center etc. and he had discussed about this with the Administration.
Referring to the problems being faced by the people of Havelock, especially the tourists as well as tour operators, owing to poor broadband connectivity, the Minister informed that he had advised the Chief General Manager BSNL Kolkata to initiate action for providing connectivity of 20 MBPS Bandwidth to Havelock direct from Kolkata to improve ATM and internet services as well. Since Havelock has a great tourism potential, plan should be framed for providing goalless connectivity to facilitate tourists service providers including hoteliers, operators and also other tourism related activities, the Minister added.
The Minister mentioned that similar steps will also be taken to connect small Islands such as Neil, Little Andaman, Kamorta and Campbell Bay. With the projects to come up soon, there will be a distinctive improvement in the broadband connectivity, the Minister said adding that it would be monitored by CGM Kolkata.
The Minister informed the scribes that GSM 2G mobile service will come up at Kala Patthar to facilitate tourists in that area.
