Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) is to be laid in 141.32 km of roads under the Public Works Department (PWD) for linking all the higher centres of learning and research in Kerala for the National Knowledge Network. The PWD has given the nod to RailTel Corporation of India for trenching and laying the OFC on the basis of the permission granted by the Information Technology Department to M/s RailTel for the implementation of the network.
The network comprises an ultra-high speed CORE (multiples of 10 Gbps) complimented with a distribution layer at appropriate speeds. The network will seamlessly integrate with the global scientific community at multiple gigabits per second speed.
Official sources told The Hindu that the firm had been asked to start the trenching work only after the execution of a memorandum of understanding and getting the work order from the PWD. It had also been asked to submit necessary Performance Bank Guarantee towards the road restoration to PWD as per the guidelines.
The firm should ensure that the width of the trench does not exceed 0.40 metre. The digging will have to be done for one km at a stretch. Only after restoring the stretch under the supervision of the PWD authorities, can the next stretch be dug up.
Another condition put forward by the PWD is that the cable should be laid as per the standards using flexible conduit for avoiding digging in future. The firm should restore the dug up stretch as per the standards prescribed for the Kerala State Transport Project (KSTP). The PWD authorities should monitor the laying process.
‘Follow guidelines’ The Executive Engineer, PWD, has been asked to strictly follow the guidelines of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways issued in April this year for installing telecom infrastructure. The aim of the network is to bring all stake-holders from science, technology, higher education, healthcare, agriculture, and governance to a common platform.