Jammu Kashmir Conducts 39 Telecom Disaster Mock Drills in Three Years, Centre Tells Parliament | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir has conducted 39 disaster resilience mock drills in the telecom sector over the past three years, alongside five meetings of the State Telecom Disaster Coordination Committee, as part of nationwide efforts to ensure continuity of communication services during natural calamities, the Union government informed the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

In a written reply, the Ministry of Communications stated that Jammu and Kashmir operates within the broader framework of the Department of Telecommunications’ Standard Operating Procedures 2020, which set out protocols for maintaining telecom services during disasters. These measures include priority call routing for emergency services, intra-circle roaming to allow subscribers to access any available network during outages, and rapid restoration through mobile base stations, emergency optical fibre repair teams, and activation of disaster control rooms.

The government added that public emergency alerts are disseminated through the Common Alerting Protocol-based SACHET platform, providing timely warnings to citizens in regions vulnerable to floods, landslides, and extreme weather—conditions frequently experienced in Jammu and Kashmir. Coordination at the ground level is carried out through State Telecom Disaster Coordination Committee meetings, which involve telecom service providers, state authorities, and disaster response agencies.

Nationally, the scale of preparedness varies. Uttar Pradesh West recorded the highest number of telecom mock drills at 311 over the past three years, followed by Tamil Nadu with 198 and Rajasthan with 196. Maharashtra reported only five drills during the same period. Other Himalayan and disaster-prone regions such as Himachal Pradesh conducted 53 drills, while the North East region reported 40, reflecting a stronger focus on preparedness in ecologically sensitive areas.

Beyond drills and coordination, the government said it is upgrading telecom infrastructure to improve disaster resilience under multiple programmes. More than 2.14 lakh gram panchayats have been made service-ready under BharatNet, with an amended programme underway to strengthen networks and extend connectivity to uncovered villages. In parallel, over 23,000 mobile towers have been commissioned under 4G saturation and related projects to improve redundancy and coverage in remote and border areas.

The ministry also highlighted major investments in alternative connectivity routes to reduce vulnerability during disasters, including submarine optical fibre cable links between Chennai and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and between Kochi and Lakshadweep, along with extensive intra-island fibre networks. Adoption of alternative technologies such as satellite communication and infrastructure sharing among operators has been identified as a key pillar of telecom resilience planning.

Officials said these measures aim to ensure that regions like Jammu and Kashmir, which face recurring risks from earthquakes, floods, and snow-related disruptions, retain access to critical communication services during emergencies. However, the data also underscores regional disparities in preparedness, raising questions about whether the frequency of drills and coordination exercises is commensurate with local risk profiles.

The government maintained that continued coordination through State Telecom Disaster Coordination Committees and technological upgrades under Digital Bharat Nidhi will remain central to strengthening disaster management capabilities in the telecom sector across all States and Union Territories.