In Short:
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) will submit its final report on evaluating bids for the BharatNet Phase III tender by September 10, 2024. The tender aims to enhance broadband connectivity across various states with 21 bidders participating. The project, part of a larger Rs 1.39 lakh crore initiative, includes BSNL managing internet bandwidth while private firms handle middle-mile connectivity.
NEW DELHI: Committees established by the government-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) for the technical evaluation of bids under the BharatNet Phase III tender are set to submit their final report on September 10, 2024. According to a letter dated August 14, 2024, each designated Committee for Evaluation of Tender (CET) will formally present its evaluation report, signed by all members, to the Chairman of the Coordination Committee by the specified date. The report is expected to provide clear recommendations regarding technically acceptable bids and justifications for any rejections.
CET Committee Details
In August 2024, BSNL’s competent authority approved the formation of CET committees to evaluate bids for each of the 16 tender packages. The coordination committee is led by Sudhir Gupta, PGM (ABP) of BSNL, with members including Shailendra Kumar Bhardwaj, PGM (PF), Rajeev Narang, PGM (BN-3), and Paritosh Kumar Shah, GM (MM).
Bidders for BharatNet Phase III
As reported by ETTelecom on August 7, 2024, prominent bidders include Telecommunications Consultants of India Limited (TCIL), ITI Limited, and domestic optical fiber cable manufacturers such as HFCL, STL, Polycab, and Pratap Technocrats. While Polycab, STL, and HFCL submitted individual bids, a total of 18 bidders, including G R Infraprojects, Vindhya Telelinks, Pace Digitek Infra Private Limited, Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), Bharat Electronics Limited, and Megha Engineering, opted for a consortium approach.
Tender Overview
A total of 21 bidders have participated in the BharatNet 3 program for several states, including Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh (East and West), Karnataka, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Jammu & Kashmir, and the North East Region.
Launched in early 2024 with an allocated budget of Rs 65,000-crore, the BharatNet III program aims to enhance last-mile broadband connectivity while upgrading existing facilities in 164,000 gram panchayats and connecting an additional 47,000 gram panchayats under a new model. This initiative is part of the broader BharatNet program, spearheaded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with a total funding of Rs 1.39 lakh crore.
The BharatNet III project features a three-tier structure: the first tier focuses on Internet leased line bandwidth provided by BSNL across 7,269 blocks; the second tier involves private operators managing middle-mile connectivity for a decade; and the final tier delivers last-mile connectivity through the Udyami model.
The Cabinet previously approved Rs 42,068 crore in 2017 for the initial phases of the BharatNet project.
