Bhubaneswar: With cyclone Amphan expected to cause extensive damage to electricity and telecommunication network in Odisha, massive arrangements for restoration of these essential services post-cyclone have been made.
“As telecom cables, antennas and towers get damaged during cyclone, a disaster preparedness plan has been operationalised after discussion with all telecom operators of affected districts in both states,” said sources.
Special Relief Commissioner P K Jena said, intra-circle roaming will be made operational after the passing of cyclone Amphan and subscribers will be able to latch on to the network of other available telecom operators, if the services of operator they are using get disrupted.
“Special focus will be laid on base station controllers and mobile switching centres, since damage to these will affect many telecom towers. Similarly, broadband connections to authorities will be restored on priority to facilitate functioning of relief teams,” Jena said.
“Telecom operators have been told to station generator sets along with diesel, so that telecom towers where power gets disrupted can be restored. Besides, spare parts, optical fibre cables will be kept in adequate quantities along with fault repair teams to do prompt repair,” he added.
Arrangements have been made to keep citizens in affected districts alerted regarding evacuation through free SMS alerts in local language, Jena said.
