India’s first PSU, ITI has bagged Rs. 1,600 crore BharatNet Phase 2 order for rest of Gujarat project on EPC basis.
Speaking to DigiAnalysys, S. Gopu, CMD, ITI said, “ITI is L1 in BharatNet Phase 2 Rest of Gujarat order. The company will deploy its own OFC and CDOT GPON for Gujarat Fibre Grid Network Limited.”
As Project Implementing Agency (PIA), ITI will be responsible for implementing entire project on EPC basis including but not limited to survey, design & plan, supply, installation, testing, commissioning of OFC (underground & aerial) & its accessories (patch panel, electronic route marker, splitter, splicer, joint connectors, mounting structure for aerial, pole, PLB HDPE duct, UPS, GPON equipment, NOC equipment, Remote Fibre Management System and other hardware/software.
ITI will also undertake the responsibility for operations & maintenance (O&M) and service provisioning of the established network for 7 years from the date of Go-live on turnkey basis.
The gram panchayats to be connected under BharatNet Phase 2 has been divided into two packages – Package A for Rest of Gujarat and Package B for Saurashtra. Package A covers 9 districts, 64 blocks, 3,409 gram panchayats and total 3,824 gram panchayats (includes gram panchayats from Phase 1) whereas Package B covers 9 districts, 64 blocks, 3,578 gram panchayats and total 3,698 gram panchayats (includes gram panchayats from Phase 1).
The term of this contract shall be initially for a period of 8 years (one year for implementation and 7 years for operations & maintenance) from the date of issue of contract and Go live of the entire work.
The National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN – earlier name of BharatNet) is a government project aimed at providing broadband connectivity to 250,000 gram panchayats in an effort to provide last mile connectivity as critical infrastructure.
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