BharatNet Phase III Fibre Deployment in Himachal Pradesh Crosses 40% Completion

Amilionn Technologies Private Limited (ATPL), a Pan-India government technology and infrastructure solutions company, has announced that its BharatNet Phase III optical fibre deployment in Himachal Pradesh, being executed for ITI Limited, has crossed approximately 40 per cent completion.

Commenced in June 2025, the project is establishing a robust optical fibre backbone to connect Gram Panchayats and blocks across the state with high-speed broadband under BharatNet Phase III, the Central Government’s flagship initiative to extend reliable broadband connectivity to every Gram Panchayat in India.

BharatNet Phase III in Himachal Pradesh is divided into seven zones, with networks being developed using ring architecture and IP-MPLS topology to enhance network resilience and maintain connectivity in the event of a route failure. Amilionn’s scope covers 11 blocks in Mandi district — Mandi Sadar, Balh, Bali Chowki, Chauntra, Dharmpur, Drang, Gohar, Gopalpur, Karsog, Seraj and Sundarnagar — covering some of the country’s most challenging terrain for fibre deployment.

“A nation’s development now runs on fibre, and what matters is continuity,” said Kushal Amilineni, Director, Amilionn Technologies. “Unbroken fibre enables a student in Karsog to participate in the same digital classroom as one in Bengaluru, allows enterprises to extend their operations beyond metropolitan centres, and brings telemedicine, government services and AI applications closer to every Gram Panchayat. BharatNet Phase III is about building that continuity into the country’s digital backbone, and every kilometre of fibre deployed in Himachal Pradesh strengthens the foundation for India’s next decade of growth, enterprise and education.”

The deployment involves a combination of underground and aerial fibre infrastructure, adapted to the state’s demanding topography. Amilionn’s teams are installing armoured optical fibre cable underground to specified depths, using horizontal directional drilling to cross roads and other obstacles, and laying HDPE ducts supported by protective slabs and pipes. The company is also deploying 24-core fibre through duct systems using fibre-blowing techniques.

In locations where underground deployment is not feasible, aerial ADSS fibre is being installed on RCC and GI poles, including through the use of existing power infrastructure. Fibre joints are secured in closure enclosures, routes are appropriately marked, and every fibre core undergoes end-to-end OTDR testing to ensure low splice loss and network performance.

At Gram Panchayat and block locations, the project includes the installation of routers in smart racks with SFP transceivers, fibre termination boxes, power systems with battery backup and optional solar panels, as well as chemical earthing. These installations are followed by configuration, integration and end-to-end connectivity testing. Network visibility and monitoring will be enabled through the State Network Operations Centre.

The project is supported by large, multidisciplinary teams deployed across the work locations, along with zone-wise warehouses for materials and coordinated right-of-way permissions facilitated with ITI Limited and BSNL. Acceptance testing is being carried out in coordination with independent engineers.

Following commissioning, Amilionn will operate and maintain the network for three years, with a focus on maintaining high uptime across connected Gram Panchayats and a committed mean time to repair of no more than eight hours.

“Laying fibre in Himalayan terrain is among the most demanding infrastructure work in the country, and crossing 40 per cent completion on schedule is a credit to our teams on the ground,” said Harish Amilineni, Chairman & Managing Director, Amilionn Technologies. “We are committed to taking this network through to completion and then supporting it through three years of operations and maintenance, because connectivity is only as valuable as its uptime. Every Gram Panchayat we connect brings the vision of a Viksit Bharat closer.”

The Himachal Pradesh project adds to Amilionn’s expanding telecom infrastructure portfolio, which includes BharatNet optical fibre deployments across multiple states. The company is also strengthening its presence in data centre infrastructure and recently completed Jharkhand’s largest government land records data centre under the Central Government’s Digital India Land Records Modernisation Programme (DILRMP).

With the expansion of BharatNet Phase III, projects such as this are expected to play an important role in extending high-speed digital connectivity to rural communities, enabling access to digital education, healthcare, government services and emerging technology applications across India.