A meeting of the 5G working committee was held under the chairmanship of Advisor Umang Narula at the Civil Secretariat, Leh on November 11.

The meeting reviewed and discussed the amendments to the Ladakh Communication Connectivity Infrastructure Rules, 2020 (LCCIR), and Right of Way Policy, Ladakh, a move that will accelerate the upgradation and expansion of telecom networks and speed up the roll-out of 5G services in Ladakh.

In the meeting, it was informed that the LCCIR-20 lays down guidelines for the implementation of over-ground (Mobile Towers, Cells on Wheels, etc.) & underground (Optical Fiber Cable) infrastructure establishment in the Union Territory.

Advisor Narula noted that the amendments would pave the way for the deployment of 5G services in the Union Territory.

Principal Secretary, Information Technology Department, Sanjeev Khirwar gave a comprehensive presentation to the participants on the proposed amendments to the LCCIR, 2020. He stated that these rules were made to introduce transparency and to ease out the entire process of applying for approval, installation, and maintenance of telecom infrastructure across the Union Territory in a time-bound manner to ensure quality telecom service in Ladakh. He shared that no charges would be levied for the mobilization of small cells and telegraph lines using street furniture.

Further, he informed that the LCCIR-20 will also be integrated with the central Gati Shakti Sanchar Portal.

The meeting was also attended by the Principal Secretary,Planning and Revenue Department; Commissioner/Secretary, Rural Development Department; DDG (Rural), Chief Engineer, PWD, Telecom Enforcement & Resource Monitoring Cell, J&K; General Manager BSNL, Ladakh, and officials of the IT Department, Ladakh.