New Delhi, November 11: State-owned telecom manufacturing giant ITI Limited announced on Sunday that it has emerged as the lowest bidder for a major BharatNet Phase-3 contract covering the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and Manipur. This contract, valued at Rs 1,537 crore, represents a significant step in expanding digital connectivity across India’s northeastern region.
Additionally, ITI Limited reported winning the lowest bid for two other packages: one covering Himachal Pradesh and another for West Bengal, Andaman, and Nicobar Islands, with a combined order value of Rs 3,022 crore. Together, these three packages bring the total value of contracts won by ITI Limited under BharatNet Phase-3 to Rs 4,559 crore.
The BharatNet Phase-3 project, designed to enhance digital connectivity across India, spans 16 packages across all states and union territories. These contracts, tendered by BSNL, cover the Design, Supply, Construction, Installation, Upgradation, Operation, and Maintenance of the Middle Mile Network for BharatNet Phase-3 on a Design Build Operate and Maintain (DBOM) model.
Rajesh Rai, Chairman and Managing Director of ITI Limited, expressed his enthusiasm for these strategic wins, stating, “We are ecstatic to have emerged as the lowest bidder for a package in the northeast. Securing three major packages, particularly in challenging terrains like the Andaman Islands and North-East India, presents exciting challenges and opportunities for us. The ITI team is fully committed to delivering on these critical infrastructure projects.”
He added that ITI’s extensive experience in deploying optical fiber networks (OFN) across India for both defense and BharatNet projects uniquely positions it to excel in these large-scale undertakings.
In a recent win, ITI Limited also secured a Rs 300 crore contract from the Bihar Renewable Energy Development Authority (BREDA) to supply and install 100,000 solar street lights across Bihar, marking another milestone in its portfolio of government projects.
With its extensive manufacturing facilities in Bengaluru, Naini, Raebareli, Mankapur, Srinagar, and Palakkad, as well as an in-house R&D center in Bengaluru, ITI Limited continues to solidify its role in supporting India’s telecom infrastructure and renewable energy initiatives nationwide.
