PM inaugurates submarine Optical Fibre Cable connecting Chennai and Port Blair

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday the submarine optical fibre cable (OFC) connecting Andaman and Nicobar to the rest of the country and the world is a symbol of the government’s commitment to ease of living pf the island’s people.

The Prime Minister inaugurated the optical fibre cable project, which will connect Tamil Nadu’s Chennai and Port Blair in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, through a video conference.

“Today is not only important for millions of friends living in dozens of islands of Andaman and Nicobar, it is also important for the whole country,” PM Modi said.

“The bigger the project was, the greater the challenges were. This was also a reason that despite the need of this facility for years, it could not be work upon. But I am happy that this work was completed, bypassing all the obstacles,” he added.

The submarine cable will also connect Port Blair to Swaraj Dweep (Havelock), Little Andaman, Car Nicobar, Kamorta, Great Nicobar, Long Island and Rangat.

Ahead of the launch, PM Modi had tweeted to say it’s a very special day for the residents of the islands. He also said that the OFC will provide “high-speed broadband connectivity and a big boost for the local economy”.

“Inauguration of the submarine Optical Fibre Cable in Andaman and Nicobar Islands ensures: High-speed broadband connectivity, fast and reliable mobile and landline telecom services, big boost to the local economy, delivery of e-governance, telemedicine and tele-education,” the Prime Minister added.

PM Modi had laid the foundation stone for the project on December 30, 2018, at Port Blair.