Agency people benefit with new cell phone towers

Kakinada: Due to lack of tele-connectivity and non-availability of phone network and internet facilities in the time of health emergencies such as labour pains before delivery or an accident it was not possible to call for an Ambulance in agency areas.

ITDA PO Nishant Kumar told reporters at Rampachodavaram on Thursday that ITDA has actively taken on the challenging job of providing this essential service, coordinating with the higher officials in Tribal Welfare Department, TRICOR and JIO officials. With continuous effort of ITDA in resolving local issues and pushing forest clearances for laying OFC for the functioning of towers, 20 new mobile towers have been established in the area in last 18 months. He said that the exercise which started in April 2018 by conducting field surveys by joint teams of JIO, ITDA and Revenue Dept has been able to get noticeable results.

He said that till the end of 2018, the highway connecting Rajahmundry with Bhadrachalam barely had any mobile signals. Right after Gokavaram in Rajhmundry division, the road journey of three hours up to Chintoor near Bhadrachalam did not have any communication facility except the two Mandal headquarters of Rampachodavaram and Maredumilli. He said that Optical Fibre Cable laying progressing was at brisk pace to extend network towards hilly terrain of Y Ramavaram and Ghats of Maredumilli. People residing in nearby villages have benefitted immensely with the new towers.

He said that thousands of people who were commuting on roads from these villages have benefitted by the release of mobile services. It has become easy to extend health, education and infrastructure services and citizens have come closer to government with digital integration. Kumar said that the government employees find it easier to travel, camp and send reports. It is not uncommon nowadays to see shepherds managing their cattle and talking over mobile phone on the sides of roads in the Agency areas. He said that around 20,000 commuters are utilising the telecom services without interruption every day.