BSNL will invest Rs 99 crore to expand its network across Nashik, Trimbakeshwar and key highway corridors ahead of the Simhastha Kumbh Mela, with 211 new towers planned over the next eight months to address call drops, coverage gaps and rising data demand.
The state-owned telecom operator currently operates about 200 towers in the region. The proposed expansion will add coverage and capacity across Nashik city, Trimbakeshwar, the Nashik-Trimbakeshwar highway and major approach routes from Malegaon, Igatpuri, Dindori and Pune.
Nashik collector Ayush Prasad said the administration was working to enable an early start to the project. “There are several issues of call drops across networks. BSNL has presented a plan to double its network in Nashik, Trimbakeshwar and along highways. The administration is making all efforts to ensure the work starts at the earliest,” he said.
BSNL Nashik general manager Sarang Mandviker said the 211 towers would be installed at a cost of Rs 99 crore to eliminate coverage gaps and manage heavy data traffic during the event. The operator has approached the Nashik collectorate, Nashik Municipal Corporation and the zilla parishad to help identify suitable locations for the towers.
The deployment plan includes the use of government buildings, private structures and co-location arrangements with existing telecom towers. These options are intended to speed up installation by using locations and infrastructure that are already available, although the project will still require permissions and site identification across the affected areas.
BSNL has also received approval for 43 Cell-on-Wheels, or COW, units. These mobile network units will provide temporary coverage at high-footfall locations during the Kumbh, including parking areas and riverbanks where large gatherings are expected. The temporary installations are intended to supplement the permanent network expansion during periods of concentrated demand.
The telecom expansion is being accompanied by a separate Department of Telecommunications programme for villages that remain outside network coverage. Deputy director R K Maheshwari said 49 villages, mostly in Trimbakeshwar, Igatpuri and Surgana, had no network coverage. Under a Rs 100-crore Digital Bharat Nidhi project, 49 towers will be installed to provide 4G connectivity in these villages.
Officials said permissions were being sought for several proposed tower sites located in forest areas. The two initiatives therefore cover both the temporary pressure expected from the Kumbh gathering and longer-standing connectivity gaps in remote parts of Nashik district. The BSNL tower project is scheduled for implementation over the next eight months, while the rural connectivity plan will proceed after the required site permissions are secured.
