Delhi, Feb 12
\nThe Department of Telecommunications (DoT), in collaboration with the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), today launched a comprehensive report on Disaster Risk and Resilience Assessment Framework (DRRAF), marking a major step towards strengthening India\u2019s telecom sector against disasters. <\/p>\n
The report is part of a comprehensive study on National and Sub-national Disaster Risk & Resilience Assessment for the Telecommunication Sector by CDRI. The study was conducted across five states\u2014Assam, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, and Gujarat\u2014focusing on disaster risks and resilience strategies specific to the telecom sector. DoT facilitated the necessary coordination with State Governments, Telecom Service Providers, and Infrastructure Providers to arrange the data required for the study.<\/p>\n
In his message in the inaugural session, Dr. Neeraj Mittal, Secretary (Telecom) & Chairman, Digital Communications Commission (DCC), emphasized that building telecom resilience is a national priority. He reiterated DoT\u2019s commitment for ensuring seamless connectivity prior, during, and after disasters, aligning with the UN\u2019s \u2018Early Warning For All by 2027\u2019 initiative. He called for coordinated action from Government agencies, telecom operators, and disaster management bodies to ensure India\u2019s telecom infrastructure remains robust in the face of natural calamities.<\/p>\n
Recalling his experience with disasters, Mr. Manish Sinha, Member (F), DoT, emphasized the importance of telecom network post disasters. He further highlighted that technology has improved further. He further highlighted the outcomes of the study lays out a roadmap for minimizing service disruptions, strengthening infrastructure, and improving emergency response mechanisms.<\/p>\n
Emphasizing the importance of inter-ministerial coordination, Shri Sanjay Agrawal, DDG (DM), DoT, highlighted the invaluable support of all LSAs, TSPs, Infrastructure Providers, and Industry Associations (DIPA, COAI, IBF), along with government agencies such as NDMA and SDMAs. He added that their valuable insights and on-ground experiences have significantly enriched this study, ensuring that the recommendations are not only technically sound but also practically implementable.<\/p>\n
Addressing the impact and potential of the study and framework, CDRI Director General Amit Prothi emphasized the telecom sector\u2019s significant contribution to India\u2019s GDP, highlighting that resilient telecom networks are critical for economic growth, disaster response, and uninterrupted connectivity. He further stated that the CDRI\u2019s study offers a scalable model, actionable insights, and global best practices for resilient communication services.<\/p>\n
The DoT has been proactively implementing several strategic initiatives to enhance disaster preparedness and telecom resilience, including:<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Real-time coordination with LSAs, State Governments, and telecom operators for rapid disaster response.<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Nationwide implementation of an indigenous Cell Broadcast System for emergency alerts.<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Deployment of Public Protection and Disaster Relief (PPDR) networks in collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs.<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Strengthening regulatory support for telecom operators to ensure quick restoration of services.<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Promoting satellite-based communication and High Altitude Platform Systems (HAPS) to maintain connectivity in disaster-hit regions.<\/p>\n
Key Insights and Recommendations from the Study:
\nThe study conducted a multi-hazard risk assessment across 0.77 million telecom towers, mapping risks from floods, cyclones, earthquakes, and other disasters. A disaster risk and resilience index has been developed to assess the vulnerability of telecom infrastructure based on disaster intensity, frequency, and impact.<\/p>\n
The Report has outlined a set of key recommendations aimed at strengthening the sector’s resilience and preparedness in the face of disasters. These recommendations emphasize a multi-pronged approach, combining technical enhancements, governance reforms, financial investments, and stakeholder collaboration.<\/p>\n
The key strategic recommendations include:<\/p>\n
Enhancing technical planning and design to ensure telecommunications infrastructure can withstand disaster impacts.
\nDeveloping a robust multi-hazard information repository to enable data-driven risk management.
\nImplementing risk-informed governance to integrate disaster resilience into sectoral policies.
\nDeveloping risk-sharing instruments to safeguard telecom operators against financial vulnerabilities.
\nEstablishing a cross-sectoral framework to drive stakeholder collaboration and coordinated response mechanisms.
\nStrengthening financial arrangements to support the resilience of critical telecom infrastructure.
\nPromoting last-mile connectivity and information access to ensure inclusivity during emergencies.
\nLeveraging digital and collaborative efforts to enhance service restoration in crisis situations.
\nUpscaling institutional capacity and last-mile expertise to improve emergency preparedness.
\nImplementing precise monitoring mechanisms to enhance service quality and reliability.
\nThese recommendations aim to fortify the telecom sector\u2019s ability to withstand disasters, ensuring seamless connectivity and rapid restoration of services. With DoT\u2019s leadership and multi-stakeholder engagement, the adoption of this roadmap will empower India\u2019s telecom sector to effectively anticipate, respond to, and recover from disasters, ensuring uninterrupted communication even in times of crisis.<\/p>\n
With this risk and resilience study and framework, CDRI aims to mainstream resilience principles in telecom infrastructure at the policy and planning level, and promote cross-sectoral collaboration and coordination, both in India and globally.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Delhi, Feb 12 The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), in collaboration with the Coalition for Disaster…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":19163,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,36,2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19162","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business","category-latest","category-national"],"yoast_head":"\n