Lok Sabha Question No. 2825 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-17
Subject: National Broadband Mission (NBM)
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Shri Navaskani K, Shri Selvam G, Shri C N Annadurai

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2825 ANSWERED ON 17 TH  DECEMBER, 2025

## NATIONAL BROADBAND MISSION (NBM)

## 2825.   SHRI NAVASKANI K: SHRI C N ANNADURAI: SHRI SELVAM G:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has taken measures under the National Broadband Mission (NBM) to enhance broadband connectivity and bridge the digital divide in the rural areas of Tamil Nadu;

(b) if  so,  the  details  of  broadband  and  Optical  Fibre  Cable  (OFC)  connectivity  projects undertaken under BharatNet in different districts of Tamil Nadu;

(c) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  integrate  the  Gati  Shakti  Sanchar  Portal  and  the Telecommunications (Right of Way) Rules, 2024 with the ongoing digital infrastructure expansion in Tamil Nadu to ensure efficient Right of Way (RoW) clearances and faster execution of broadband projects; and

(d) the time by which the Government proposes to make all the Gram Panchayats in all districts of Tamil Nadu fully service-ready under the BharatNet project?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT (DR. PEMMASANI CHANDRA SEKHAR)

(a)  &  (c) Yes.  The  Government  has  taken  the  following  key  measures  to  improve  broadband connectivity in rural areas and bridge the digital divide by implementing the National Broadband Mission (NBM) in the country, including the state of Tamil Nadu.

- i. Launched the Centralized Right of Way (RoW) Portal on May 14, 2022, thus facilitating the streamlining of the RoW permissions for the deployment of telecom infrastructure viz. Optical Fiber Cable (OFC) laying and telecom tower installation.
- ii. Processes to obtain RoW permissions and applicable charges were further made uniform through Telecommunications (Right of Way) Rules 2024 under 'The Telecommunications Act, 2023'. The rules are effective from January 01, 2025. The rules are  further  streamlining  and  expediting  the  telecom  infrastructure  deployment  in  the country. The RoW portal has been further upgraded in the majority of states in accordance with RoW Rules 2024 including the state of Tamil Nadu.

(b)  &  (d) The  Department of  Telecommunications  (DoT)  is  further  ensuring  stable  broadband connectivity in rural & remote areas (including tribal belts) and bridging the digital divide through the Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN). Key initiatives include:

- i. The BharatNet project providing broadband to Gram Panchayats (GPs) and villages (on demand).
- ii. Various schemes for high-speed internet/broadband and mobile services (including 4G) in remote areas, such as the North-East, Islands, LWE (Left-Wing Extremism)-affected regions, Aspirational Districts, and border villages.
- iii. Submarine  optical  fiber  cables  were  laid  between  Chennai  and  Andaman  &  Nicobar (2312 km) and Kochi and Lakshadweep (1869 km), enabling faster internet connectivity.

Under the state-led model of BharatNet project in Tamil Nadu, a total of 11,866 GPs out of 12525 have been made service-ready (as of December 12, 2025) and for service provisioning, 9,686 Optical Line Terminals (OLTs) have been deployed in GPs and Blocks to provide FTTH connectivity to households. The district-wise details of OFC laid are given in Annexure-I .  The  timeline  for  the completion of the BharatNet project is March 2027.

## Annexure referred to in Part (b) & (d) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2825 for Answer on 17.12.2025

| S.no   | Districts      | Total OFC laid in routeKM   |
|--------|----------------|-----------------------------|
| 1      | Chengalpattu   | 1382                        |
| 2      | Kancheepuram   | 1180                        |
| 3      | Krishnagiri    | 1924                        |
| 4      | Ranipet        | 1224                        |
| 5      | Tirupathur     | 929                         |
| 6      | Tiruvallur     | 1950                        |
| 7      | Tiruvannamalai | 3472                        |
| 8      | Vellore        | 844                         |
| 9      | Ariyalur       | 867                         |
| 10     | Cuddalore      | 2484                        |
| 11     | Perambalur     | 683                         |
| 12     | Villupuram     | 2886                        |
| 13     | Kallakurichi   | 1739                        |
| 14     | Salem          | 1653                        |
| 15     | Erode          | 1197                        |
| 16     | The Nilgiris   | 292                         |
| 17     | Dharmapuri     | 1352                        |
| 18     | Coimbatore     | 1231                        |
| 19     | Karur          | 994                         |
| 20     | Mayiladuthurai | 890                         |
| 21     | Nagapattinam   | 734                         |
| 22     | Namakkal       | 1431                        |
| 23     | Pudukottai     | 2235                        |
| 24     | Thanjavur      | 2337                        |
| 25     | Tiruchirapalli | 2153                        |
| 26     | Tiruppur       | 1467                        |
| 27     | Tiruvarur      | 1743                        |
| 28     | Dindigul       | 1538                        |
| 29     | Kanniyakumari  | 407                         |
| 30     | Madurai        | 1498                        |
| 31     | Ramanathapuram | 1700                        |
| 32     | Sivagangai     | 2021                        |
| 33     | Tenkasi        | 1171                        |
| 34     | Theni          | 536                         |
| 35     | Thoothukkudi   | 1744                        |
| 36     | Tirunelveli    | 1076                        |
| 37     | Virudhunagar   | 1703                        |
| Total  |                |                             |
|        |                | 54666                       |

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