DoT holds meeting with telecom infra firms to assess readiness for cyclone

The Department of Telecom on Saturday held a review meeting with telecom infrastructure providers to take stock of readiness to mitigate the impact of cyclone Tauktae, industry body Taipa said. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said at the meeting that cyclone Tauktae is expected to touch Gujarat coast between Porbandar and Naliya around May 18 afternoon or evening with a wind speed ranging up to 175 kmph.

“In order to ensure uninterrupted telecom connectivity in these states Maharashtra, Mumbai and Gujarat, the Department of Telecommunications held a meeting with all the telecom infrastructure providers and their representative body Tower & Infrastructure Providers Association (TAIPA),” the industry body said in a statement. The meeting was chaired by telecom secretary Anshu Prakash and was also attended by the telecom operators along with various senior DoT officials including DG Telecom TK Paul and other officials from state offices, the statement said.

“All our IPs (infrastructure providers) members have taken necessary steps to ensure uninterrupted connectivity in these areas which are likely to be affected by the cyclonic storm and all the background arrangements like additional DG sets, battery banks, spare parts, stocking of diesel are taken care of,” TR Dua, Director-General, Tower & Infrastructure Providers Association said. He said IPs have also deployed additional restoration teams which are kept on standby mode for all major districts and areas likely to get impacted.

Telecom secretary appreciated the efforts of the telecom industry and emphasized on readiness for “Tauktae” on account of availability of adequate diesel at telecom installations in the likely affected coastal districts of states, readiness of spare battery sets and other telecom spares, availability of extra Cell on Wheels (CoWs), response and restoration teams who can be immediately moved to the impacted areas. “We have requested the DoT and are also in touch with these state governments for unrestricted movement for man and material within and from one state to other, priority access to sites for our restoration teams and field staff and availability of adequate diesel supply on priority,” Dua said. PTI