RAIPUR: For the approximately 150 tribal families in Kondapalli gram panchayat, located in the edgy district of Bijapur, south Chhattisgarh, the last six months have rewritten their reality. After years of isolation under the influence of left-wing extremism, the arrival of mobile connectivity and the supply of electricity has signalled a profound decline in Maoist influence and the beginning of a connected life.
The villagers, whose home is deep within the forested terrain 70 km from the Bijapur district headquarter along the Telangana–Chhattisgarh border, didn't let the moment pass quietly. When the new mobile tower was installed in April, they celebrated this turning point with the beat of the traditional Mandar hand drum and dancing in colourful tribal costumes.
For decades, the region had been deprived of basic necessities. As Lakshmi Yasam, 40, sarpanch of the gram panchayat (which covers three villages), recounted to the New Indian Express, “Under the shadow of Maoist terror, our region remained deprived of basic amenities like roads, electricity and mobile connectivity.”
That era is fading. Now, Asam proudly states, “Over 60 percent of households have mobile phones subscribed to the Jio network operator,” he added.
As Asam explains, the convenience is transforming daily life: “These days every essential service including banking to government welfare schemes to Aadhaar, the mobile phone number is linked. The convenience of mobile services is promoting rural residents’ happiness.”
The immediate, tangible benefits are already being felt. Baldeo Nekho, 24, a local farmer, describes the change as a fundamental shift, “It’s like the beginning of a good life as we are witnessing how the use of mobile phones doing good during health emergencies, education of children and remains a symbolic connection of our village to the outside world,” he said.
The difficulties faced by Kondapalli, acute challenges in accessing communication, transport, and public services, were severe. Administrative teams struggled to reach the area owing to inhospitable terrain and Maoists’ obstruction.
The changing scenario was driven by continuous security operations, improved administrative outreach, and focused government interventions.
This local success is a symbol of a broader strategy, according to Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, “The arrival of network connectivity in Kondapalli is not merely an expansion of communication infrastructure but a revival of aspirations that were suppressed for years. The state government is committed to ensuring digital services and welfare schemes reach every village of Bastar. Such transformations will become even more widespread in the coming years, ” he said.
The communication sector has indeed registered remarkable growth in the state. A total of 728 new mobile towers have been installed recently. Crucially, 116 of these are in Maoist-affected areas and 115 in Aspirational districts. Currently, 467 towers are operational with 4G services, while 449 older towers have been upgraded from 2G to 4G.