The Centre has asked states to follow the Andhra Pradesh model in laying
optic fibre cable lines over electric poles to complete the
BharatNet
project, touted as the 'backbone for
Digital India', by December 2018.
BharatNet,
called the National Optical Fibre Network, is aimed at providing 100
Mbps broadband connectivity to more than 2.50 lakh gram panchayats
across the country.
The progress of the BharatNet project
implementation has been slow due to a variety of reasons, including the
"inability of Bharat Broadband Network Limited" to procure optical
network termination equipment in time as well as "major gaps in the
implementation strategy", Union Secretary for Information Technology and
Communications J S Deepak said.
On April 30, the Telecom Commission approved a revised strategy for a three-phase implementation of the BharatNet project.
The
first phase envisages providing one lakh gram panchayats with broadband
connectivity by laying underground OFC lines by March 2017, Deepak said
in a letter to Chief Secretaries of all states last week.
"The
second phase will provide connectivity to all 2,50,500 gram panchayats
in the country using an optimal mix of underground fibre, fibre over
power lines, radio and satellite media. It is to be completed by
December 2018," the Union Secretary said.
"For success in phase-2,
which will also involve laying of OFC over electricity poles, the
participation of states will be important. This is a new element of the
BharatNet strategy as the mode of connectivity by aerial OFC has several
advantages, including lower cost, speedier implementation, easy
maintenance and utilisation of existing power line infrastructure," he
pointed out.
Further, in phase-2, the last mile connectivity to
citizens was proposed to be provided creating Wi-Fi hotspots in gram
panchayats, he said.
In the third phase from 2018 to 2023,
state-of-the-art, future-proof network, including fibre between
districts and blocks, with ring topology to provide redundancy would be
created, Deepak elaborated.
In laying aerial OFC, the states and
power distribution companies have a critical role, which would include
digital mapping of the locations of substations and electrical poles
from Blocks down to GPs.
Andhra Pradesh has followed an innovative
approach in using technology for mapping lines using resources of
MGNREG scheme and those of the power department, he said.
"The
most remarkable feature of Andhra Pradesh mapping has been that the
entire state-wide mapping was accomplished in a week. After the mapping,
the state has laid about 10,000-km of aerial OFC on electrical poles in
a time of three months," Deepak said.
"As connectivity in
BharatNet phase-2 is planned partly through aerial OFC and since each
state has robust power infrastructure up to the gram panchayat level,
this could be used for laying of aerial OFC cable on top of electricity
poles. However, the first step in this is mapping of electricity lines,
from block down to gram panchayats, urgently.
"States are, hence,
encouraged to follow the procedure adopted by Andhra Pradesh," the Union
Secretary told the Chief Secretaries in the letter.
Digital
mapping of power lines would be a useful tool that could be used for
other applications, including installation of smart meters in rural
areas in future, he said.
The Department of Telecom would provide
funds for GIS mapping of power lines from block to gram panchayats and
the quantum would depend on the size of the state, he said.
BharatNet,
launched in 2013, is being implemented by the Department of Telecom. It
is funded by the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF).
The
project executing agency Bharat Broadband Network Limited is
implementing it through three Central Public Sector Enterprises BSNL,
Power Grid and RailTel.
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