VISAKHAPATNAM: The National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) will establish an internet exchange, the ninth in the country, in Port City in January 2023. Besides, the railway board has also given financial sanctions for the South Coast Zone. Both announcements came within 24 hours of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the City of Destiny.
Minister for Railways and IT Ashwini Vaishnaw, who had accompanied Modi during his two-day visit, disclosed the decisions. It may be recalled that the Union minister had also visited the proposed site for South Coast Zone headquarters at Wireless Colony in the city on November 11.
BJP MP GVL Narasimha Rao told TNIE that Vaishnaw readily agreed to expedite the process to identify a location to establish the internet exchange and also commence construction of the railway zone building.
The tender process for the railway zone has been completed and bids will be invited soon.
The railway board has issued financial sanctions to construct the building Rs 106.89 crore. Works will begin soon after the bids are finalised. On the establishment of an internet exchange, the BJP MP pointed out that it has been a long-pending demand of the IT industry in Vizag.
“It will help improve quality of life, bring more investments to the IT sector in the city and help the financial services sector, besides the proposed financial and industrial corridors,” he noted. Under the Ministry of Electronics and IT, NIXI sets up exchanges to promote efficient use of the internet in the country.
So far, NIXI has established eight internet exchanges in the country. Rushikonda Hill IT Park Association Vice-President O Naresh Kumar said several internet service providers (ISP) like Airtel, Jio, Tata and other small players have been providing bandwidth in the city, but without an exchange.
In the absence of an internet exchange, he explained, the cost of bandwidth is higher and quality is lower. On the other hand, an exchange helps cut the cost of the internet by 30 to 40 per cent and increase the speed, Kumar pointed out.
“With surplus bandwidth, there will be no interruptions as well. Online and financial transactions will be quicker,” he asserted. Kumar opined that a National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education And Research, and Centre for Development of Advanced Computing should also be set up in Vizag.
AP Chambers of Commerce and Industry Federation State president Pydah Krishna Prasad welcomed the Centre’s decision to set up the internet exchange in the city that has been emerging as an IT destination. Thanking the Prime Minister for supporting the development of Vizag, he hoped the Union government would fulfil some other demands as well.
Bids for new railway zone to be invited soon
The tender process for South Coast Railway Zone is completed & bids will be invited soon. Financial sanction has been issued to construct the building with Rs 106.89 crore