Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is planning to install 450 towers along the Indo-Bhutan, Indo-Bangladesh and Indo-Myanmar borders to improve connectivity in the regions. The Ministry of Home Affairs has done away with the earlier restriction on mobile towers within 10 km radius of international border.

As per the project details, the towers will be installed along the border outposts at a distance of 40 km each. The process of tendering has already been initiated and the project is expected to be completed by 2017.  BSNL will also use 10 gigabytes of bandwidth from PowerGrid Corporation of the India Limited and will pay Rs 500 million annually to the latter for the same.

Meanwhile the Assam government has sought installation of close to 2,000 towers to ramp up connectivity in the hills districts and border areas which can provide assistance in countering the insurgent activity in the region.