Lok Sabha Question No. 3805 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-08-09
Subject: Submarine Optical Fibre
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: BISHNU PADA RAY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3805 TO BE ANSWERED ON 9 TH   AUGUST, 2017

## SUBMARINE OPTICAL FIBRE

## 3805. SHRI BISHNU PADA RAY:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has sanctioned Rs. 1102.38 crores for implementation of Submarine Optical Fibre Cable Connectivity between Chennai and Andaman & Nicobar Islands;
- (b) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  time  by  which  the  said  project  is  likely  to  be completed along with the steps taken by the Government in this regard; and
- (c) whether the Government has received any representation from the Member of Parliament  from  Andaman  &  Nicobar  Islands  in  this  regard  and  if  so,  the  details thereof and the response of the Government thereto?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS & MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI MANOJ SINHA)

- (a) & (b) Yes, Madam. On 21.09.2016, Government has approved the proposal for Submarine OFC connectivity between Mainland India (Chennai) and Port Blair & five other Islands Car Nicobar, Little Andaman, Havelock, Kamorta and Great Nicobar Island. The estimated cost of the project is Rs. 1102.38 Crore, out of which CAPEX of Rs. 880.03 Crore shall be funded by USO Fund while Annual Operational Expenditure (OPEX) in the form of viability gap funding currently estimated as Rs. 44.47 Crore per annum shall be funded by Andaman & Nicobar Islands Administration for initial five years for which adequate budget provision would be made by MHA. The project is targeted to be implemented by 31.12.2018.

Bharat  Sanchar  Nigam  Limited  (BSNL)  has  been  nominated  as  Project Execution  Agency.    The  Notice  Inviting  Tender  (NIT)  for  submarine  cable  system between  Chennai  and  A&N  Islands  using  4  fiber  pair  with  100  Gbps  initial  traffic capacity has been floated by BSNL on 07.07.2017.

(c) Two representations have been received from the Member of Parliament from Andaman  &  Nicobar  Islands  vide  Letter  No.  55/MP/ANI/PBMC/2017/377  dated 01.03.2017  and  under  Rule  377  of  Lok  Sabha  debate  dated  06/02/2017  regarding delay  in  time  schedule  in  implementation  on  Submarine  Optical  Fibre  Connectivity between  Mainland  (Chennai)  &  Andaman  &  Nicobar  Islands  and  to  extend  the submarine cable connectivity to Rangat via  Long Island from Havelock Island. The action taken by the Government is as follows:

- (i) Notice Inviting Tender (NIT) for the Submarine cable system between Chennai and A&N Islands has already been floated by BSNL on 07.07.2017.
- (ii) Regarding submarine optical fibre connectivity of Rangat via Long Island from Havelock, technical feasibility and cost estimation for extending the submarine OFC network has already been carried out by Telecommunications Consultants  India  Limited  (TCIL),  the  Technical  Consultant.  The  matter  is under consideration for approval.

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