HYDERABAD: Works for the second phase of BharatNet, which is the Central government’s initiative to provide infrastructure for broadband connectivity in rural parts of the country, will begin in the State within the next two months. As part of the second phase, infrastructure for Internet is going to be laid down in 10,000 gram panchayats, in addition to the 2,800 gram panchayats pending from the previous phase.
In Telangana and Andhra Pradesh the Phase I was implemented through the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL). As for the implementation of the works of the second phase, Larsen and Toubro, Sterlite and Telecommunications Consultants India Limited (TCIL) will jointly take up the works. While L&T will take up the works in southern of each district, Sterlite and TCIL would take up the northern and eastern sides, respectively.
It is important to note that the State’s T-Fiber initiative is closely knit with the BharatNet scheme. While, BharatNet concentrates on providing infrastructure at block and gram panchayat levels, T-Fiber is looking after zonal and a last-mile connection.
In January while answering a question in Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Communications Manoj Sinha had informed that then, around 6,578 GPs in erstwhile Karimnagar, Mahbubnagar, Medak, Nalgonda and Warangal were yet to be made service-ready.
So in the second phase, L&T, Sterlite and TCIL will not only lay down the underground fibre optic cables in over 10,000 GPs, they would also take care of its maintenance for the next seven years. As part of the project, five WiFi Access Points (APs) would also be provided at GPs. “Of these, three Access Points are to be connected to government institutions, while two Access Points will be available for public use,” Sinha had said in Rajya Sabha.