Commissioner & Secretary, Information Technology & Communication (IT&C), Mohammed Ali Shihab, IAS, announced that 397 villages in Nagaland remain without mobile towers. Speaking at the inaugural program for the training on the Right of Way (ROW) portal for telecom infrastructure and the online Inner Line Permit (ILP) system at the Directorate of IT&C, Kohima, Shihab said the government is making efforts to provide 4G network coverage to these areas.
Addressing officials from all 17 districts of Nagaland, Shihab urged the participants to understand the diverse network issues faced in different districts. “When you leave for your respective districts, some improvement should be made in addressing the problems of your area,” he said. He also stressed the importance of BharatNet as a robust technology to empower the future of internet connectivity in the state.
Home Commissioner, Nagaland, Vyasan R. IAS, who attended the event as a special guest, highlighted the gap in IT&C offices at the district level. He encouraged the trainees to take on an additional role to bridge this gap and serve the public effectively. He emphasized the need for strong coordination with service providers to ensure proper network availability.
“Right of Way provides a single platform for telecom companies for all necessary permissions and approvals. Without clear and streamlined ROW policies, connectivity projects often face delays, leading to poor internet services,” Vyasan stated.
The two-day training program, hosted by the Directorate of IT&C, Kohima, includes sessions on the Online Inner Line Permit System, Right of Way, and hands-on training on ROW processes for telecom infrastructure.