Telecom tech company HFCL and a consortium of partners have emerged as the lowest bidders in partnership with Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) and Aerial Telecom Solutions for major contracts under the BharatNet Phase III project, valued at over Rs 8,100 crore.
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) awarded the HFCL-led consortium bids worth approximately Rs 6,925 crore to establish a middle-mile fiber network across the states of Uttar Pradesh (East and West). The contract also includes a substantial 10-year operations and maintenance (O&M) commitment valued at nearly Rs 4,155 crore, which will begin after the initial phase of the network is commissioned.
The BharatNet Phase III project is a critical component of India’s strategy to close the digital divide, aiming to connect all gram panchayats (GPs) across the nation, with a minimum internet speed of 100 Mbps. This expansion phase will focus on rural and underserved regions, helping bridge connectivity gaps and fostering local growth by enabling essential e-health, e-education, and e-governance services.
By connecting over 2,50,000 GPs, BharatNet Phase III is poised to reach more than 6,40,000 villages, making high-speed internet accessible to millions in remote areas.
In addition to its role within the consortium, HFCL has independently secured a bid worth Rs 1,244 crore to deploy high-speed broadband infrastructure in Punjab as part of the BharatNet Phase III initiative. This standalone award also includes an O&M order valued at approximately Rs 746 crore over the next decade, pointing to HFCL’s long-term involvement in the project.
In a statement, Mahendra Nahata, Managing Director of HFCL said, “Our proven track record in executing strategically critical projects, strengthens our standing as trusted partner of the Government of India. HFCL is well placed with a diverse product line that includes routers, optical fiber cables, fiber connectivity solutions, transport solutions, power management solutions etc., to address the needs of the BharatNet Phase III program. As a trusted BSNL partner, we look forward to continued collaborations and contributing significantly to the success of BharatNet Phase-III program.”
