BharatNet’s Phase 2 completion timeline to be extended due to Covid: Dhotre

The timeline for the second phase of BharatNet project, earlier slated to be completed by August 2021, will now be extended as its pace was affected by the lockdown and movement curbs imposed by various governments due to COVID-19, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Thursday.

As on September 1, 2020, close to 23,133 Gram Panchayats (including block headquarters) have been made service ready, and 1.47 lakh km of optical fibre cable has been laid under BharatNet phase-2, Minister of State for Communications Sanjay Dhotre said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.