Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), India’s state-owned telecom operator, has awarded a consortium led by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) a contract worth nearly ₹5,000 crore for the development of BharatNet’s middle-mile network. BharatNet, a government initiative, aims to bring high-speed broadband to unconnected villages across India. This contract pertains to Phase 3 of the BharatNet project, now overseen by BSNL after its merger with Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL).
In a statement to stock exchanges, RVNL announced, “The consortium of Rail Vikas Nigam Limited – HFCL Limited – Aerial Telecom Solutions Pvt. Ltd. has emerged as the Lowest Bidder (L1) for the development, upgradation, and operation of the BharatNet middle-mile network under a Design Build Operate and Maintain (DBOM) model.”
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Several companies, including HFCL, Polycab, and Telecommunications Consultants of India (TCIL), submitted bids for this project, covering states like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and the northeastern regions. With a budget of ₹65,000 crore for Phase 3, BharatNet’s objective is to close the digital gap and ensure equal digital access across India. BSNL is also deploying mobile sites in rural areas with funding from the Digital Bharat Nidhi, previously known as the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF).
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