MP Highlights BSNL Connectivity Crisis in Himachal Pradesh During Lok Sabha Session
Bharatiya Janata Party Member of Parliament from Shimla, Suresh Kashyap, raised significant concerns in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday regarding the deteriorating telecom connectivity in Himachal Pradesh. He specifically targeted the poor performance of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), emphasizing acute staff shortages and network deficiencies that severely impact services in remote and tribal regions of the state.
Severe Staff Shortages Cripple BSNL Operations
During the Question Hour, Kashyap presented alarming official data revealing a massive manpower deficit in BSNL across Himachal Pradesh. He informed the House that against 192 sanctioned posts for Senior Sub-Divisional Engineers (SDEs), only 81 positions are currently filled. Similarly, the state has just 165 Junior Telecom Officers (JTOs) working against a sanctioned strength of 282, and only 110 Junior Engineers (JEs) are available out of 177 posts.
This critical shortage of technical staff is causing serious difficulties in network maintenance and timely restoration of services, particularly in far-flung areas where infrastructure is already vulnerable.
Challenging Terrain and Infrastructure Damage
Kashyap pointed out that Himachal Pradesh's difficult mountainous terrain, combined with heavy rainfall, snowfall, and frequent natural disruptions, often damages telecom infrastructure and hampers service delivery. Restoration teams are frequently forced to trek long distances to repair faults in isolated locations, leading to prolonged outages that disrupt communication for residents.
He also highlighted the extremely poor connectivity in several parts of his parliamentary constituency, noting that even basic 2G services are not functioning properly in many remote areas despite the installation of mobile towers. The MP questioned the government on concrete steps being taken to fill vacancies and improve telecom infrastructure, while also seeking clarity on the expansion of 5G services in the hill state.
Government Response and Initiatives
In response, Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia informed the Lok Sabha that, for the first time, monthly and quarterly performance reviews of BSNL circles are being undertaken. These reviews cover both operational and financial parameters, monitoring nearly ten key indicators such as:
- Cable cut incidents
- Average repair time
- BTS uptime
The government has set a target of ensuring at least 95% uptime, with provisions for redeployment and resource adjustments wherever manpower shortages are identified. Scindia added that under special connectivity initiatives funded through the Digital Bharat Nidhi, the government aims to provide world-class connectivity even in economically unviable and geographically challenging regions.
Under the "Full Saturation" scheme, about 3,000 villages have been identified nationwide for coverage through 21,000 telecom towers, of which 17,000 have already been installed. This initiative is part of broader efforts to enhance digital infrastructure across India.
MP's Commitment to Improving Connectivity
Kashyap asserted that strengthening telecom services in Himachal's remote and border areas remains his top priority. He vowed to continue raising the issue in Parliament until tangible improvements are achieved, emphasizing the need for reliable communication in these regions for safety, development, and daily life.
The concerns raised underscore the ongoing challenges in providing consistent telecom services in mountainous states like Himachal Pradesh, where geographical and logistical hurdles compound operational issues.
