An undersea cable landing station is set to become operational in Digha, Purba Medinipur district, by the first quarter of 2026, according to Amit Mitra, principal chief advisor to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Speaking at the Indo-Pacific Economic Conclave 2024 organized by the Bengal Chamber of Commerce, Mitra noted that the project, spearheaded by Reliance Jio, will greatly improve internet connectivity and data transfer speeds in the region.
Currently, all signals from eastern India are routed through Mumbai or Chennai, causing latency and potential bottlenecks. In August 2020, the state approved the Rs 1,000-crore project to address these issues.
Mitra highlighted the project’s transformative potential, noting that it will support numerous businesses and establish a robust IT backbone. He called the cable landing station a “game-changer” for West Bengal’s Silicon Valley and other IT initiatives.
He also discussed Tata Consultancy Services’ (TCS) expansion in West Bengal, mentioning that TCS has acquired land in the Silicon Valley project in New Town and is expected to create 16,000 additional jobs in the state.
Mitra credited the state’s proactive approach in updating IT policies and infrastructure for attracting investments. He noted that West Bengal’s broadband policy of 2020 has attracted Rs 7,500 crore in telecom sector investments, while the 2021 data centre policy has led to 11 companies setting up data centres in the state.
He further stated that the Silicon Valley project has been highly successful, with 41 companies allotted land and the initial 200-acre phase fully occupied. Additionally, Mitra pointed to Global Foundries’ investment in the semiconductor sector as evidence of West Bengal’s modernized IT policies fostering a conducive business environment.
