VELLORE: After a 15-year struggle with poor network connectivity, the Hindu Malayali tribal communities in the Jawadhu Hills of Vellore district are set to receive proper signal coverage. Three towers here will be equipped with 4G signal on August 15, said sources.
According to BSNL officials, towers in the villages of Alleri and Yelluparai under Peenjamandhai panchayat, along with Pallampattu panchayat, are going to be upgraded with 4G signal. In the North Arcot district, there are a total of 448 existing towers in both plains and hills, with 42 newly installed BSNL towers.
Among these, the three towers in Jawadhu Hills were installed a while ago. However, these weren’t working properly for many years and have now been upgraded to 4G. “As many as 17 towers have been erected in Tiruvannamalai’s Jamunamarathur, and they are in the process of receiving signal,” officials added.
This BSNL tower signal project falls under the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), which aims to provide rural and remote areas of the country with non-discriminatory access to mobile networks and services. In 2009, the Peenjamandhai Nayakanur village in the Jawadhu Hills received its first BSNL tower signal.
However, it was not very helpful to the tribal people and often broke down. Without proper signal coverage, the three main panchayats in the Jawadhu Hills frequently faced difficulties. “During the rainy season, it’s hard for pregnant women to call for emergency medical help due to poor signals,” said D Srinivasan, a resident of Jawadhu Hills, while speaking to TNIE.
Elderly tribals who receive a monthly pension from the government also struggle due to the lack of proper signal, often having to travel at least 8km down the hill. This journey, sometimes on foot, has led to injuries among the elderly. TNIE reported on this issue a year ago.
“Youngsters in the tribal village need to register for competitive exams, which means they currently have to travel 8 kilometres to the plains. The new 4G signal is a huge relief for us,” said another resident of Jawadhu Hills.
However, in villages like Konur, Pudhur, Thendhur, Mulluvadi, and Periyapanaparai towers have been installed but 4G signal activation is still awaited. Due to ongoing issues with the existing BSNL towers, 90% of the tribal population in Jawadhu Hills have switched to private carriers. However, they have now requested that BSNL help them in switching to their 4G SIM cards.