As a resident of the Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, I am sure that very few are aware of the major problem residents on the islands face when compared to the rest of the mainland India when it comes to communication. Given their strategic location, the Islands are a vital base for our armed forces and a major tourist hub. However, the strange fact is that mobile and Internet facilities are way behind those offered in the rest of India.
One has to spend just a day here to understand how bad the condition is. I am lucky to be living in the capital as the conditions in the other areas in terms of connectivity through digital connectivity are deplorable and pathetic.
There has been a proposal to deploy an underwater cable but it seems to be in a frozen state. Perhaps satellite connectivity using the Indian Space Research Organisation’s technical advancements and know-how might work out to be better. Would it not be more cost-effective, quicker and more environment- and budget-friendly to launch a dedicated GSAT on board a satellite to handle all digital communication than laying a cable? The estimated lifetime would be far longer.
Gourav Maheshwari,
Port Blair
