Around 1,000 mobile network towers are going to be installed within the Maoist-affected areas of the newly formed Alluri Sitarama Raju (ASR) district in Andhra Pradesh within the next one year.

HIGHLIGHTS
1000 mobile network towers are about to set up in Andhra Pradesh
The major focused areas for the companies will be Maoist-affected areas
BSNL is about to set up 300 towers in next one year

Satish Kumar, the Superintendent of Police (SP) on Saturday told ANI, 'The mobile service providers are all set to establish 1,000 new mobile towers in tribal pocket hill areas. Jio is developing with 700 towers. Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is about to set up to 3000 towers in three phases within the next one year.'

The district police and the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) will be installing the network towers within the remote region.

According to the police, the ASR district has 22 Mandals from which most of them are set within the tribal belt and only 20 and 25 per cent of individuals have access to mobile network.

Satish stated, 'All headquarters of the mandals are already connected to mobile networks. Government will give medical facilities to the tribal areas with mobile property.'

Mobile network operations have been refrained from installing mobile towers in Maoist-affected areas because of the apprehensions that Maoists would possibly set these towers on burning. In 2017, Maoists have set mobile towers at Dharakonda. Well, GK Veedhi, Chintapalli, Pedabayalu, Munchingput, G Madugula, Dumbriguda, Koyyuru are among the most Maoists-affected areas.

According to an official source in May, the government has been allotted with a project value Rs. 3,683 crore for providing 4G mobile services in uncovered villages of aspirational districts.

Under the project, Bharti Airtel is allowed to install 1,083 mobile towers with an expenditure of Rs. 847.95 crore in Jharkhand and Maharashtra. On the other hand, Reliance Jio will be able to roll out 3,696 towers for Rs. 2,836 crore, as per the source. The project has been allotted to the companies in the May.

According to the source information, 'The project to produce 4G coverage in uncovered villages of aspirational district of five states will get approved by the Cabinet last year. Airtel and Jio are given eighteen months to roll out 4G services within the known villages.”

The project envisages to produce 4G based mobile services in7,287 uncovered villages of 44 Aspirational Districts across 5 states of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Odisha at an estimated price of implementation which is about Rs. 6,466 crore along with the operational expenses for 5 years.

Also Read: BSNL 4G Services to be Rolled Out Soon, Says Minister of State for Communications