Port Blair, Nov. 15: The Government of India approved the Chennai-Andaman and Nicobar Islands (CANI) Submarine Optical Fiber Cable project with an objective to connect Chennai Cable Landing Station (CLS) with Port Blair CLS and seven Islands viz. Swaraj Dweep, Little Andaman, Car Nicobar, Kamorta, Campbell Bay, Long Island and Rangat in September, 2016. BSNL was nominated as the Implementing Agency and M/s NEC Infrastructures India (P) Ltd was engaged as the Executing Agency for implementing the project at a total project cost of Rs 1212 Crore. The capital cost of the project is funded by USOF, DOT Government of India and the Operation and Maintenance Cost to the tune of Rs 46.8 Cr per year will be borne by A & N Administration.

The Foundation stone of the project was laid by Hon’ble Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi on 30.12.2018. The project was completed as per schedule despite difficult times of COVID-19 and Segment-1 (Chennai-Port Blair), Segment-2 (Port-Blair-Little Andaman) and Segment-6 (Port Blair-Swaraj Dweep) of the project was inaugurated and dedicate to the Nation by Hon’ble Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi on 10.08.2020. Remaining segments of the project were also completed and commissioned from 30.09.2020. The project is also monitored by Island Development Authority and MHA from time to time

The A & N Administration signed tripartite agreement  on 13.11.2020 with USOF and BSNL  for ensuring uninterrupted quality of service with Service Levels upto 99.99%. The agreement has back to back arrangement for continued warrantee support by M/s NEC Infrastructures Pvt. Ltd for equipment and SEAICOMA  for Wet Plant (Submarine Part) for five years, which will be signed by BSNL (Implementing Agency). The tripartite agreement was signed by Shri Vijay Kumar, IAS Principal Secretary (Fin & Plg), A & N Administration in simple function held at O/o Administrator USOF, Sanchar Bhavan, New Delhi.