The project of connecting Chennai with Port Blair and other islands of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, viz., Swaraj Deep (Havelock), Long Island, Rangat, Little Andaman (Hutbay), Kamorta, Car Nicobar & Great Nicobar (Campbell Bay) through 2313 km long Submarine Optical Fiber Cable (OFC) was approved on 21.09.2016. The project was commissioned during August 2020 and September 2020.
As per approval of Telecom Commission dated 01.05.2018, the capital expenditure of the project is Rs 947.283 crore (including discovered cost of Rs 677.81 crore plus estimated Rs 60 crore for civil and electrical plus taxes and PMC Rs 77.673 crore) and the operational cost of the project is Rs 46.84 crore per year for 5 years (Rs 276.238 crore plus taxes by Ministry of Home Affairs or Union Territory). The total cost of the project is Rs 1224 crore.
The present bandwidth utilization is 90 Gbps. (As on 17.04.2023)
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is the Project Execution Agency to set up and provide the network and associated infrastructure and is solely responsible for tendering, monitoring of permits other than environment clearance and CRZ clearances including procurement of equipment and supply contract management, project implementation, testing and commissioning.
