DEHRADUN: In Vyas Valley of Pithoragarh, one of India's most strategically sensitive border regions, villagers are compelled to rely on Nepal's mobile networks to make a simple phone call.
Despite the region's importance for national security and the Adi Kailash and Om Parvat pilgrimages, villages such as Gunji, Nabi, Kuti and Rongkong remain deprived of basic Indian telecom connectivity. Locals say their mobile phones pick up signals only from Nepali operators in several areas.
"We have to buy a Nepal SIM card and recharge it separately to speak to our own families. Our Indian numbers are useless here," a villager from Gunji said.
In this digital age, residents are unable to contact their family members when needed. Whether someone falls ill, an emergency arises or urgent information needs to be conveyed, there is no reliable means of communication.
"In case of illness or an accident, we have to run from one place to another in search of a network. Sometimes, even that does not help," local resident Satendra Singh said.
The problem is compounded by the region's geography. Vyas Valley lies at a high altitude, close to the China border, where weather conditions can change within minutes. A landslide, medical emergency or natural disaster can become critical if information does not reach the authorities in time.
For pilgrims, the situation is equally difficult. Every year, thousands of devotees and tourists from across India and abroad visit Adi Kailash, Parvati Kund and Om Parvat. They arrive with Indian SIM cards, only to find that there is no network coverage.
"Tourists ask us about network connectivity, but what can we do? They get worried, and we lose business because they cannot stay connected," a homestay operator in Nabi said.
Tourism operators say poor connectivity is directly affecting their livelihoods. Visitors cut short their stays, while online bookings, digital payments and social media promotions suffer. Local youngsters who want to run homestays, offer guide services and sell local products find themselves disconnected from the wider market.
The power crisis makes matters worse. Electricity supply in Vyas Valley remains irregular. Charging mobile phones, running homestays and keeping essential services operational have become challenging.
"When there is no power, even the Nepal network is of little use because our phones run out of battery," a resident of Kuti said.
Officials acknowledge the challenges posed by the difficult terrain, but residents say the issue is now one of basic safety and national presence. In a border valley where India is seeking to strengthen connectivity for security and tourism, they argue, Indian mobile networks should be the first to arrive, not the last.
Speaking to TNIE, Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj said, "Taking up this matter as a priority, we have issued directives to major Indian cellular network providers operating in the region to resolve the issue immediately."