Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 10: Airtel today said that it is mobilizing all manpower and other infrastructure resources to expedite the restoration process across affected areas in Jammu and Kashmir.
A spokesperson of the cellular company said that Airtel network has been restored in many critical areas across the State including Jammu, Kargil and Leh but a few sites in the region continue to be submerged in water and inaccessible thus impacting restoration efforts.
“Inter operator roaming has been configured thus allowing customers to make calls by latching onto other networks in areas where Airtel network is yet to be restored”, the spokesperson said, adding with support from DoT and Indian Air Force, 5 VSAT terminals with WiFi equipment were flown into Srinagar Airport yesterday.
Airtel has thereafter set up a public WiFi Hotspot – thus allowing everyone to use data services (like Whatsapp and email messaging) to reach out to their friends and family. Airtel will install 4 more VSAT terminals in strategic locations as directed by rescue teams/DoT for public access to WiFi
“As a result of heavy flooding, Airtel’s MSC buildings in Srinagar have been severely impacted. The team continues to explore alternative mediums of reaching these submerged MSC locations and is relentlessly working towards restoring services”, the spokesperson said, adding “in the interim, we have provisioned capacity from our MSCs in Jammu for supporting the load of impact BSCs from Srinagar”
According to the spokesperson, 125 K DG has been arranged and kept ready for implementation as soon as the flooding subsides; small DG / battery has been airlifted and moved to the MSC for use and alternators for 500KVA and 380 KVA have been organized to carry out repairs.
“One transmission hub in Barjola with a tower and fibre POP is operational. PGCIL fibre connectivity has also been implemented on this location, which will build upto Jammu region”, the spokesman said, adding “heavy flooding and water-logging around manholes is hindering the process of laying of physical fibre connecting our North and South BSCs”.
Airtel has arranged for fibre drums from Delhi and is exploring all possible options to overcome this challenge. Airtel has set up free calling stations at various relief camps across J&K.
According to the spokesperson, significant recovery of network sites is expected over the next 48 hours.
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