-26 Telecom Towers Revived; Temporary Installations and Intra Circle Roaming Ensure Lifeline Connectivity Amidst Terrain and Weather Challenges

New Delhi, August 14(HS): In a remarkable display of coordination and urgency, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) along with multiple stakeholders has successfully restored vital telecom connectivity in the Bhatwadi–Gangotri region of Uttarkashi district, following the devastating cloudburst near Dharali Village on August 5, 2025. The sudden surge of the Kheer Ganga River wreaked havoc, washing away two telecom towers and disrupting services across 27 others due to severe fiber optic and power line damages.

Acting swiftly, DoT’s State Coordination Unit in Dehradun collaborated closely with all Telecom Service Providers (TSPs), Infrastructure Providers (IPs), the Uttarakhand State Government, Central Armed Forces including the Army and ITBP, as well as elite disaster response teams such as NDRF and SDRF, to re-establish essential communications critical for rescue, relief, and the well-being of affected residents.

In the initial phase, a lifeline fiber link between Bhatwadi and Dharali was restored using Army-supplied Optical Fiber Cable (OFC) and additional cables airlifted from both Uttarkashi and Dehradun. Two Reliance Jio towers were swiftly installed at the ITBP camp in Dharali and at nearby Mukhawa, reactivating coverage in hardest-hit locales despite treacherous terrain and relentless weather. Helicopter deployments and local ground transport ensured rapid delivery and effective setup of telecommunications equipment for last-mile coverage.

Subsequently, the fiber connection from Dharali to Gangotri was reinstated, restoring seamless service throughout the entire affected region. Altogether, 26 telecom towers have now been brought back online and are fully operational, supplemented by temporary towers at Dharali and Mukhawa that continue to provide critical network coverage.

To further guarantee uninterrupted mobile connectivity, the Department implemented Intra Circle Roaming (ICR)—a strategic arrangement enabling subscribers of any telecom operator to access the strongest available network within the same telecom circle. This initiative is especially vital during disasters when infrastructure damages disrupt usual network coverage.

What is ICR and how to use it:

Intra Circle Roaming allows mobile users to connect seamlessly to other operators’ networks within the region, ensuring continuous service even if their primary provider’s signal is unavailable. To leverage ICR, users should keep Automatic Network Selection enabled. If automatic connection fails, they can manually select an alternate available network through their phone’s Mobile Networks settings.

This accelerated, multi-agency response highlights the resilience and adaptability of India’s telecom ecosystem in the face of natural calamities, providing indispensable communication lifelines to those affected while supporting critical relief efforts.

For continuous updates, follow the Department of Telecom on social media:

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Facebook: DoTIndia

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar