State-run BSNL is taking necessary measures like ensuring availability of prepaid SIM cards and augmentation of available services for better connectivity in south Kashmir Himalayas during the annual 59-day Amarnath yatra, scheduled to start next month.
"BSNL services will remain available in the entire yatra area and it will also arrange pre-paid SIM cards for being made available to yatris at the twin base camps of Baltal in Ganderbal district and Chandanwari in Anantnag district," an official spokesman said after a high-level meeting here.
The meeting, chaired by Chief Executive Officer, Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), P K Tripathi, was convened to review the preparedness for ensuring uninterrupted telecom connectivity for Yatra 2015. Senior civil, Army and Police officers besides officials of BSNL, Aircel, Airtel, Idea, Reliance and Vodafone attended the meeting.
It was informed by the BSNL that the Bandwidth on VSATs at Panjtarni, Holy Cave and Sheshnag is being augmented from the earlier 1 mbps to 4 mbps and at Poshpatri to 2 mbps, the spokesman said adding big sized BTS Towers would be installed at eight sites with 3G facilities in addition to the existing 2G facility at five places in the lower Camps.
He said BSNL also plans to enhance Bandwidth of 14 mbps at the Base Camps along the twin tracks - 45 km Pahalgam-cave route in Anantang district and 16-km Baltal-cave track in Ganderbal district.
Addressing the meeting, Tripathi stressed on all concerned to work in coordination for ensuring reliable telecom services in the Yatra area.
He asked other service providers to come forward and extend their services in the Yatra area for enhancing the telecom connectivity in true spirit of corporate social responsibility, besides promoting their commercial interests.
The yatra is scheduled to start on July 2.
The spokesman advised all the intending pilgrims coming from outside the state to carry post-paid connections as the prepaid ones from other states do not work in the state.
