ATLAST SOME GOOD NEWS: Global tender for Submarine OFC from Chennai to Andaman to be floated by 15th of March, 2017

Port Blair, Mar 01: A High level meeting was held on 01.03.2017 in New Delhi on Submarine Optical Fiber Cable Network Project and other projects of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
According to a release issued by MP office today, the meeting was attended by the Member of Parliament, Shri Sanjay Singh, IAS, Administrator, USO Fund, Shri Ashwani Salwan DDG (BB), USOF, Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Mr Kamal Bhagat, Director, DoT. The agenda of the meeting were Submarine OFC Network Project (Chennai to Andaman) (Project cost- Rs 1102.00 Crores); Mobile Towers/Ground based Towers (Project cost-Rs 263.00 Crores); Bharat Net. (Project cost-Rs 200.00 Crores).
During the meeting Shri Sanjay Singh informed the MP, Andaman and Nicobar Islands that global tender for Submarine OFC Network Project (Chennai to Andaman) will be floated by 15th of March, 2017.
All the issues, pre-bid meeting, consultations etc. have been addressed and the DoT has advised to BSNL to go ahead for floating the global tender at a cost of Rs 1102.00 Crores.
Department of Telecommunication has constituted an Empowered Committee under the Chairmanship of Secretary, DoT for monitoring the project.
Since the terrestrial of connectivity between Port Blair and North & Middle Andaman gets cut frequently at Jarawa Reserved Forest. More particularly at the two creeks before Rangat and restoration takes time due to entry restrictions. On account of that the Department of Telecommunication has accepted to extend the submarine cable connectivity from Havelock to Rangat via Long Island. The distance between Rangat and Havelock is approx. 70 KM.
Consequent upon implement of submarine cable connectivity from Havelock to Rangat, the connectivity to the entire North & Middle Andaman could be ensured.
Shri Sanjay Singh further confirmed that approximately 179 Mobile towers have been sanctioned for Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Out of which 151 Towers will be for uncovered villages and 28 towers will be set up on NH-223.
BBNL/BSNL will provide Optical Fiber Connectivity for broadband/internet connecting each and every Panchayats (69 Panchayats) of Andaman & Nicobar Islands under BHARAT NET SCHEME. Tender has been floated and work has been awarded, the release from MP office said here today.