New Delhi [India], July 16 : State-owned telecom equipment maker ITI Limited has secured a phase 4 work order worth Rs 856.39 crore from Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) for the expansion of its 4G mobile network across western India, according to a stock exchange filing by the company.
According to the filing, the order covers the planning, engineering, supply, installation, testing and commissioning of BSNL's 4G mobile network on a turnkey basis at 7,613 sites in the West Zone.
The company said the project is part of BSNL's indigenous 4G rollout under the government's Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
"As part of India's Atmanirbhar telecom initiative, BSNL is implementing the prestigious project of indigenous 4G telecom equipment to achieve self-reliance in the telecom segment to fulfil domestic market needs," the company said in its press release.
ITI Limited said the latest order follows the successful execution of an earlier Rs 2,640 crore turnkey project undertaken with consortium partner Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) for BSNL's 4G rollout in the West Zone.
The earlier project covered 23,633 sites across Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and the Mumbai Licensed Service Area (LSA), involving RF planning, engineering, supply, installation, testing, commissioning, integration and annual maintenance of the 4G network, the company said. It added that, following the successful completion of the project, BSNL has now awarded the expansion order for an additional 7,613 sites, taking the value of the new contract to Rs 856.39 crore.
Commenting on the development, ITI Limited Chairman and Managing Director Rajesh Rai said, "It is a very proud moment for ITI Limited as our prestigious client BSNL continues to repose great trust in ITI Limited's execution capability by awarding work order to us. ITI Limited has steadfastly been executing and has proved to be an able ally in the country's Atmanirbhar telecom initiatives."
The company also said it is currently executing BharatNet Phase III projects worth around Rs 7,000 crore for BSNL across Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Manipur.