New Delhi, 2 January (H.S.): The Indian Army has started getting 4G mobile connectivity in the border areas and remote villages of Ladakh on the China border, due to which now the people of remote areas will also get a chance to connect with the digital revolution. Fighting harsh weather in these areas with sub-zero temperatures, 42 mobile towers have been installed within five months, covering the remote areas of Kargil, Siachen, Demchok, and Galwan.

The villages in the border areas of China were deprived of 4G mobile connectivity till June 24.

The Indian Army, in collaboration with Bharti Airtel, took the initiative to ensure connectivity in these villages of India. This initiative will promote tourism in the state and improve online education, healthcare to remote villages. Apart from this, the local community will be helped by promoting economic opportunities through government schemes through the current digital revolution.

The Army's Fire and Fury Corps actively engaged all telecom service providers and assisted them in installing mobile towers in these remote areas. Battling harsh weather including sub-zero temperatures, a total of 42 Airtel 4G mobile towers have been installed covering remote areas of Kargil, Siachen, Demcok, DBO and Galwan.

This has started providing much needed connectivity to the common people as well as soldiers in Ladakh. The Indian Army is committed to promote the holistic development of the first villages located in remote areas to achieve our national vision of a developed India by 2047.

According to the Army, many efforts are still being made to install mobile towers in Ladakh. The mobile tower has been installed at an altitude of 15,500 feet on the Siachen Glacier. This has provided communication facilities to soldiers and border residents. Airtel has installed 17 mobile towers in areas like Kargil, Siachen, Galwan, DBO and Changthang. Jio has launched 4G mobile network at an altitude of 13,000 feet in Demchok area of ​​​​eastern Ladakh. BSNL and the Indian Army have installed 4G towers in Ladakh and border areas. 500 mobile towers are to be provided in Ladakh to promote internet connection and 5G. 4G internet facility has also reached near Pangong Lake.

In March 2023, the then Communications Minister Ashwini Vaishnav had approved the installation of 500 mobile towers to promote communication and 5G internet service in Ladakh, so that all areas of Ladakh near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) could get 4G and 5G services. The government had given this approval due to infrastructure challenges in border areas as well as communication problems being faced in many areas of Ladakh.

Locals had alleged that China has installed several mobile towers close to the LAC, but they are facing problems of mobile and internet connectivity.

The standoff with China on the LAC continues since the bloody clashes in Galwan in May 2020, in which 20 Indian soldiers were martyred and many Chinese soldiers were also killed. After this, India has deployed troops on a large scale in response to the deployment of Chinese troops on the LAC, but mobile network remained a big problem which has been solved now.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar