Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), which is the leading representative body for the Indian telecommunications industry, has shown appreciation for the Department of Information Technology Electronics and Communications Department, Telangana Secretariat following the launch of the RoW Portal in the state of Telangana. The opening of RoW portal was a programme brought into effect by the aforementioned department of Telangana Secretariat which will ensure an easy process for getting ‘Right of Way’ permission from the concerned district collectors as and when needed by the telecommunications infrastructure providers company.
RoW Portal Will Benefit the State
The introduction of RoW portal in Telangana will result in an easier and faster process for getting approval and will further result in a transparent system increasing the faith in the government. As far as the stats are concerned Telangana currently has 26,607 Telecom Towers and 69681 Km of telecom Optical Fiber cable across the state when recorded in September of this year. The launch of RoW portal will help in hastening the process of rolling out telecom infrastructure in the state. As the process becomes efficient and fast, more and more remote places of the state will be put on the digital map and digital connectivity for all can be achieved by 2022 in accordance with the National Broadband Mission. Director-General of COAI, Lt. Gen. Dr SP Kochhar said in a statement that the efforts of the government of Telangana taken to launch the RoW portal is appreciated and will be beneficial in a faster process of granting Telecom Tower and OFC deployment permissions while being on schedule. He added that this initiative would make Telangana a digitally advanced state and ease of doing business in the state will improve. One cannot deny the need for the telecom industry in this day and age. Telecom services is a public utility and are crucial for providing a robust network of mobile towers to boost connectivity and improve the overall socio-economic development of the country. To make the country more digitally advanced, it is necessary to develop a robust and secure state-of-the-art telecommunication network providing seamless coverage. Telecom services were a boon during the unprecedented events that took place with the widespread pandemic and the country going into lockdown. It is necessary to have a sturdy telecom industry with a robust network of mobile towers ensuring enhanced connectivity and bridging the gap of the digital divide in the country.