TCIL, ITI, HFCL, STL, Pratap Technocrats bidders for BharatNet III

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TCIL, ITI, HFCL, STL, Pratap Technocrats bidders for BharatNet III

TCIL, ITI, HFCL, STL, Pratap Technocrats bidders for BharatNet III

Industry News
Aug 09,24

Polycab, STL, and HFCL have submitted solo bids, while 18 other bidders, including G R Infraprojects, Vindhya Telelinks, Pace Digitek Infra Private Limited, Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), Bharat Electronics Limited, Megha Engineering, and others, have formed consortia.

TCIL, ITI, HFCL, STL, Pratap Technocrats bidders for BharatNet III

Telecommunications Consultants of India Limited (TCIL), ITI Limited, and domestic optical fibre cable (OFC) manufacturers HFCL, STL, Polycab, and Pratap Technocrats are among the bidders for the third phase of the Centre’s ambitious BharatNet program.

A total of 21 bidders have entered the fray for the BharatNet III program across various regions including Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh (East and West), Karnataka, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Jammu & Kashmir, and the North East Regions I and II.

State-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) will conduct the technical evaluation of the bids. Sanjeev Kumar, Chairman, TCIL, indicated that TCIL plans to bid on several packages, with an expectation to compete for 6-7 packages based on eligibility criteria.

Mahendra Nahata, MD, HFCL highlighted the project's significance in boosting demand for optical fiber cables and telecom products, aligning with HFCL’s core strengths. Similarly, Ankit Agarwal, MD, STL noted that the Rs 650 billion BharatNet III project offers extensive opportunities, including services, cable supply, and fibre distribution.

Earlier this year, the Centre launched the Rs 650 billion BharatNet III program, which initially required participants to meet specific revenue criteria. This requirement was later relaxed in May following industry feedback. The tender process, divided into 16 packages, closed on August 6, 2024.

The BharatNet III project is part of the larger Rs 1.39 trillion BharatNet program, aimed at enhancing last-mile broadband connectivity and upgrading 164,000 gram panchayats while connecting an additional 47,000 gram panchayats. The project features a three-tier structure: Internet leased line bandwidth provided by BSNL, middle-mile connectivity managed by private players for ten years, and last-mile connectivity through the Udyami model. Phase 1 and Phase 2 of BharatNet were approved in 2017 with a budget of Rs 420.68 billion.

(ET)