PM Modi unveils first ever undersea cable to Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Andaman and Nicobar will get access to online classes, tourism, banking, and telemedicine, says the Prime Minister.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated the first ever undersea optical fibre cable project for Andaman and Nicobar Islands, enabling high speed broadband connection in the union territory.

The Prime Minister had laid the foundation for 2,312-kilometer Chennai- ndaman and Nicobar Islands (CANI) connecting submarine optical fibre cable project on December 30, 2018.

"From Chennai to Port Blair, Port Blair to Little Andaman and Port Blair to Swaraj Dweep, this service has started in large part of Andaman Nicobar from today," Modi said after inaugurating the project.

"The Indian Ocean has been the centre of India's trade and strategic prowess for thousands of years. Now that India is following the new policy and practice of trade and cooperation in Indo-Pacific, the importance of our islands including Andaman and Nicobar has increased further," he said, according to a report by news agency IANS.

"Be it online classes, tourism, banking, shopping or telemedicine, thousands of families in Andaman-Nicobar will now get its access. Today, the tourists going to the Andaman will get the huge benefit of the facility. Better net connectivity has become the first priority of any tourist destination today," he said.

With the commissioning of the fiber link, Airtel has become the first mobile operator to launch ‘Ultra-Fast 4G’ services in Andaman and Nicobar. The blazing fast speeds on Airtel’s 4G network will deliver a world-class digital experience to customers on the islands, Airtel said in a statement.

Facts about Chennai-Andaman Nicobar Under Sea Internet Cable Project:

• 2,313 Kms of Under Sea cable between Chennai and Port Blair
• Seven islands of Andaman & Nicobar Islands, other than Port Blair are connected namely Swaraj Dweep (Havlock), Long Island, Rangat, Little Andaman, Kamorta, Car Nicobar and Greater Nicobar
• Upto Port Blair 400 Gb/s speed of Internet will be provided. For other islands 200 Gb/s speed will be provided
• Work of laying under sea cable has been executed by BSNL in a record time of less than 24 months
• 4G mobile services will get a big boost on these islands due to OFC connectivity
• This will boost digital ervices like Tele-education, Tele- Health, eGovernance Services and tourism on the islands

(With inputs from PTI and IANS)