Net connectivity for North-East set to gather speed

For Tripura and the rest of the North-East, March 23 will be a red letter day. They will earn freedom from poor Internet connectivity.

Internet connectivity to the Himalayan region is highly unstable, as the only optic fibre link that travels nearly 2,000 km through the ecologically sensitive zone to connect the landing station in Kolkata, remains inoperative for half of the year.

According to a Tripura government official, the problem will cease to exist from March 23, when Bangladesh operationalises a 10 gbps bandwidth lease agreement.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate a new Internet link to Agartala through the Cox Bazar landing station in Bangladesh, located barely 445 km away.

Bangladesh granted India 10 gbps data connectivity, promising 99 per cent ‘uptime’ that defines the operational efficiency, through a commercial agreement between the State telcos of either side.

The move for sharing of bandwidth began in 2013. However, in Bangladesh’s nationalist socio-political setting, it would have been difficult for Hasina to operationalise the deal, unless Modi came out with a matching offer.

Beginning March 23, India will start selling 100 MW electricity from the 736.6 MW gas-based ONGC Tripura Power Company.

This is in excess of India’s existing supply of 500 MW to Bangladesh through West Bengal border. According to a proposal approved by Bangladesh Cabinet on March 9, Dhaka will purchase the electricity at Tk 6.43 a unit (₹5.51 at current exchange) under ‘no-electricity, no-payment method’.

The 2 x 363.3 MW OTPC is the largest power station in the entire North-East. Bangladesh played a crucial role in ensuring transfer of the heavy power gears to the project site at Palatana. In exchange they requested for 100 MW electricity from the project.

Tripura government was in favour of the deal. Unfortunately, Manmohan Singh’s government sat on the proposal, causing major irritation in bi-lateral relations.

He did try to amend it by personally re-opening the issue at a meeting with Hasina at the BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) summit in Myanmar, but that was days after the 2014 election was declared.

Having come to power, Modi focused on improving bilateral ties. At the commercialisation of the second unit of OTPC in June 2014, he promised Indian cooperation in mitigating energy shortfall in Bangladesh.

“India will offer as much electricity as they want,” he said in the public meeting.

True to his commitment, the Modi government cleared hurdles in implementing the land-swap deal and ordered implementation of electricity trade through Tripura border.

Both the Internet link and the electricity trade will be inaugurated through video conferencing on March 23.

For Tripura, a stable Internet connectivity is a shot in the arm for its e-governance initiative.

The State has made rapid progress in implementing National Optic Fibre Network project and floated 16 commonly used services on digital platform.