336 border villages in Arunachal to get 4G connectivity, 254 mobile towers set up

Rijiju added that 1,156 sites have been identified for the setting up of additional towers to provide 4G connectivity to every citizen in Arunachal Pradesh

Over 70,000 people in 336 strategically important border villages of Arunachal Pradesh will now get 4G wireless connectivity and gain access to digital services, Union law minister Kiren Rijiju said on Saturday while announcing the setting up of 254 telecom towers in the northeastern state. “The mission 500 programme will ensure seamless connectivity in the state,” Rijiju said in state capital Itanagar.

Difficult terrain and the need to create an infrastructure ecosystem were among the challenges the government faced while setting up the towers. (HT Archive)

Although there has been a delay, the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) government at the Centre is boosting infrastructure development in the state that shares a border with China, said Rijiju, who represents Arunachal West constituency in the Lok Sabha.

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“We are not building anything in their territory, only in ours,” the central law minister said. “Other governments did not even take these steps.”

Difficult terrain and the need to create an infrastructure ecosystem were among the challenges the government faced while setting up the towers, he added further.

“All agencies have come together to set up the infrastructure from roads to electricity,” Rijiju said. “It will be pivotal in providing digital services to the people. It was a whole of government approach that helped.”

This was a momentous occasion for the people of Arunachal Pradesh, Union electronics and IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said. “The tower is Tawang is the highest tower in India at 12,600 ft. There are also three new rail projects in the works,” he said. “The setting up presented practical challenges, but we managed to overcome them.”

Rijiju added that 1,156 sites have been identified for the setting up of additional towers to provide 4G connectivity to every citizen in Arunachal Pradesh.

“The government has identified unconnected villages. We will take 4G to every last home,” he said. “One needs political will to make it happen. We are working in mission to complete the project by 2024.”

The event were the announcement was made was also attended by state chief minister Pema Khandu, deputy chief minister Chowna Mein and Devusinh Chauhan, junior communication minister at the Centre.

As many as 3,402 villages in the state have been recently provided mobile coverage and 2,358 are covered by broadband.

5G services have been recently launched in Itanagar and will soon be extended to other areas, according to government officials.

Proposed 4G coverage in the future includes 1,243 villages to be connected by BSNL through 653 towers, 1,036 villages by Airtel through 650 towers, 91 towers for coverage of 195 border outposts and border inspection posts and nearly 170 digital satellite public telephones for use of border guarding forces, according to government officials.