NEW DELHI: The Digital Communication Commission on Thursday approved various telecom infrastructure projects, including roll out of more than 3,500 mobile towers for 4G services in North East, involving total expenditure of Rs 8,588 crore.
The DCC, formerly known as telecom commission, approved a special scheme to cover close to 12,000 uncovered villages in aspirational districts, a top official said.
Besides infrastructure project, the panel approved recommendations for Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to issue guidelines for easy installation of telecom networks in commercial and private residential complexes to enable access of their premise to all telecom providers in fair, transparent and non-discriminatory manner.
The DCC has approved 1,593 mobile towers for 4G connectivity in 2,691 uncovered villages of Meghalaya at anoutlay Rs 2,132 crore and 1,917 mobile towers for 2,978 uncovered villages of Arunachal Pradesh and two districts of Assam at a cost estimate is Rs 2,536 crore, Chairman and Telecom Secretary Anshu Prakash told reporters after meeting of the commission.
The proposal will need approval of the Cabinet. Prakash said that the project is expected to be completed in 18 months from the date it is awarded to telecom operators.
“The project cost includes operations and maintenance expenses for 5 years. After these 5 years, telecom operator who wins the contract will have to manage the network for next 5 years at their own expense,” Prakash said. (PTI)
