BSNL gets Rs 5.5K cr more for defence network

NEW DELHI: The Telecom Commission (TC), the apex decision-making body of the communications ministry, has cleared BSNL’s request for an additional capital expenditure of Rs 5,503 core for the alternative network the state-owned telco is building for the armed forces. BSNL’s proposal was cleared during the Telecom Commission meeting on October 28, officials with direct knowledge of the development told ET.

This will be over the Rs 8,098 crore that has already been given to the PSU for this project, whose completion will result in the armed forces moving their communication requirements to this alternative network, thus freeing airwaves for commercial telephony. ET had reported on September 30 that the TC would soon meet to consider the BSNL demand after the state-owned telco had submitted a revised estimate of Rs 13,334 crore for this network.

The defence services had vacated 3G frequencies in August 2010 after the Centre had assured them that the telecom department would rollout this alternative network within two years. The project costs had shot up by about Rs 5,500 crore after the armed forces had sought several modifications in the alternative network being built for them.