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The Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) report analyzes India’s telecom networks’ preparedness during disasters.

What does the CDRI report state?

The CDRI, a multilateral organization launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2019, released a report in February 2025 analyzing India’s telecom networks’ preparedness for disasters.

The report highlights vulnerabilities in telecom infrastructure and recommends measures to enhance resilience, including:

• Strengthening power infrastructure (e.g., backup generators, solar/hybrid solutions).
• Building robust telecom towers to withstand high winds in cyclone-prone coastal states.
• Underground fiber optic cables and a "dig-once" policy to reduce repeated disruptions during infrastructure development.
• Parametric insurance to incentivize faster network restoration after disasters.
• Real-time damage monitoring and coordinated emergency protocols .

Why are coastal regions at elevated risk during disasters?

Undersea cable landing stations: These connect India to global internet networks. Damage to these stations during cyclones or earthquakes can cause widespread connectivity failures, forcing telecom operators to reroute traffic through alternative cables.

Dual threats of wind and flooding: High-speed winds damage towers, while flooding disrupts power supplies. For example, diesel generators often fail even at knee-level flooding, causing outages.

Why are undersea cables preferred over overland cables?

Undersea cables: Less prone to physical damage from environmental factors (e.g., storms, construction). However, repairs require specialized vessels and are time-consuming.

Overland cables: Easier to access and repair but vulnerable to snapping during disasters (e.g., cyclones) or damage during infrastructure projects. The "dig-once" policy aims to mitigate this by laying underground cables alongside other utilities (e.g., water, gas) during initial construction.

Power failure a challenge

Power outages are the primary cause of telecom disruptions during disasters, outweighing direct damage to cables or towers. Key issues include:

• Inadequate backup systems: Many towers rely on batteries or fuel reserves that fail during prolonged outages. For instance, diesel generators stop working in floods .
• Recommendation: Elevating generators on towers, maintaining emergency fuel reserves (e.g., 50 liters per operator), and adopting solar/hybrid power solutions .

CDRI report recommends:

Infrastructure upgrades:

• Build towers to withstand higher wind speeds in coastal states.
• Shift to underground fiber optic cables and implement the "dig-once" policy.

Operational measures:

• Real-time damage tracking via software and AI-driven data collection.
• Emergency fuel distribution and coordinated responses between the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and operators .

Financial interventions:

• Operators receive compensation based on predefined disaster parameters (e.g., wind speed), enabling rapid restoration and reducing financial burdens .
  

Small but impactful interventions

• Elevating generators: Installing diesel generators higher on towers prevents flood-related power failures .
• Emergency fuel reserves: Odisha’s former Chief Secretary, Pradeep Kumar Jena, highlighted distributing 50 liters of fuel per operator during disasters to keep networks online, even if some fuel is wasted.

Future roadmap

Short-term (1–2 years): Strengthen backup power systems, upgrade coastal infrastructure, and implement real-time monitoring.

Medium-term (3–5 years): Nationwide shift to underground cables and mandatory disaster-proofing of new towers.

Long-term: Achieve 100% disaster-resilient telecom infrastructure through public-private partnerships and policy reforms .

Way Forward

India’s telecom infrastructure requires urgent upgrades to resist disasters. Small investments (e.g., elevating generators) and large-scale reforms (e.g., underground cables, parametric insurance) can significantly improve resilience, and ensure uninterrupted communication during crises.

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Source:

THE HINDU

https://t.me/+hJqMV1O0se03Njk9