HIGH SPEED INTERNET: NOW IN NORTH EAST

By D. Prasun (TNI Siliguri) ~ Edited By Pradiptamay Saha (TNI Siliguri)

Webdesk, TNI Siliguri, 17th July, 2015: A decade-long problem is reaching to a solution at last. Finally North East is going to get better internet connectivity as Tripura has been chosen as country’s third internet gateway through the submarine cable connectivity through Cox Bazar Landing Station of Bangladesh. Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Communication, and IT minister were in Agartala recently to lay the foundation stone for the same in the presence of Manik Sarkar, Chief Minister of Tripura and Tathagata Roy, Governor of Tripura along with top BSNL officials. It can be also noted as a result of improving the relationship with Bangladesh. An agreement between BSNL and BSCCL was signed by Prime Minster of Inda, Narendra Modi, and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during the last visit of Modi. The agreement will enable BSNL to lease international bandwidth. The government will spend 19.14 crore Rupees to create the infrastructure, including the laying of optical fibers. Rupees 8 crores per year will be given as a rental fee to Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Limited (BSCCL) to avail the service. Presently, India’s internet gateway (international bandwidth connectivity) is at two places, Mumbai and Chennai. If Tripura emerges as the third gateway with a 10G link, Agartala and surroundings will have fast internet connection as any metro city. This will accelerate economic growth of India’s most deprived part as fast internet connection is a basic need for Banking, Business and Knowledge Process Outsourcing, Higher Education, Research and Development, E-Governance and so on. Let’s cross our fingers till then.

Graphics: TNI Creatives