According to Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), Bharat Broadband Networks Limited (BBNL) has caused the delay in laying of fibre cables for the National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) project. It has stated that BBNL has not allocated the requisite funds to BSNL for meeting the project-related staff wages, security, insurance and transportation costs. So far, BBNL has authorised BSNL to spend only Rs 38.64 billion for procurement of accessories and ducts required for laying 168,000 km of optic fibre cables.
BBNL has been set up by the government to execute the NOFN project while BSNL has been the key agency associated with the implementation of the project, including network rollout. BSNL has been asked by the government to meet 70 per cent of the fibre cable deployment, trenching and ducting work in the country for the project.
Recently, the telecom secretary had asked both the agencies to mutually find solutions for ensuring on-time implementation of the NOFN project.
Earlier, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) had pointed that BBNL has been facing issues in executing the NOFN project due to the delays faced by BSNL in finalising contracts for cable laying, trenching and ducting.
