Bastar: Once identical with red terror, remote villages of Bastar are now witnessing a historic change under the initiative taken by the state to boost telecommunication services in Maoist-hit localities. In a recent development, another mobile tower has been erected at the heart of Abujhmad of Narayanpur, enabling the citizens to access mobile connectivity for the first time.
Located at a distance of around 37 kilometers from the district headquarters, the installation of mobile tower in Kacchapal village has enabled residents of Toke, Gongala and other nearby villages to access the internet facility, marking a historic moment for them.
The installation of mobile tower was done as part of the government’s effort to provide basic facilities and benefits of other government schemes to the residents of Maoist-affected areas under the flagship ‘Niyad Nelanar’ scheme (yours good village). The development has elated the residents.
Other than Kacchapal, mobile towers will also come up soon at Padmakot, Kodliyar, Kandulpar and Kutul, a hotbed of Maoist-insurgency till recent. Additionally another mobile tower will also be installed at Bedmakoti village, where a security camp was also set up by the personnel of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) in March this year.
Filled with dense forested zones, the Abujhmad region was notorious for presence of top cadres of the Maoist group till before the security forces succeeded in making inroads by launching persistent operations, compelling the Maoists to relocate themselves in small groups.
Over 200 mobile towers installed in Maoist-hit areas of Bastar
Earlier mobile towers were also installed at remote localities such as Bandepara, Patakutru, Ambeli, Aaklanka and Uskapatnam of Bijapur district.
This comes months after BSNL started its 4g connectivity in Tekulagudem village of Sukma in March this year. Located at the inter-district borders of Bijapur and Sukma, Tekalagudem was once considered a bastion for CPI (Maoist) where 22 security personnel lost their lives in a dealy Maoist-ambush in 2021.
Tekulagudem, Sukma district of Chhattisgarh has got its first #BSNL4G Tower.
Empowering communities with better communication.#BSNLIndia #SwadeshiNetwork #ConnectingBharat #Chhattisgarh pic.twitter.com/cN1q2tz7Fy
— BSNL India (@BSNLCorporate) March 17, 2025
According to reports, over 230 mobile towers have already been installed in the remote localities of Bastar since early 2024, enabling the citizens to access online services.
The expansion of telecommunication services in remote localities is expected to benefit the banking and education services along allowing citizens to avail benefits of several government schemes by enrolling themselves digitally.
It is noteworthy that other than boosting the telecommunication services, the government through Niyad Nelanar and various other initiatives has been working extensively towards improving basic facilities such as water, roads, electricity and health care in far fledged regions. Recently over two dozen remote villages of Bastar were also electrified under the government’s initiative, enabling the residents to access electricity for the first time.
Launched in 2024, the Niyad Nelanar scheme aims to cover villages, falling under the radius of 5km of each security camp installed in insurgency-prone region. The scheme has turned out to be a major success in remote areas, paving way for the long stalled development of villages hit by Maoist-insurgency.
Expressing satisfaction over the progress made under the schemes, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said “The remote villages are now connecting with the communication revolution. With the expansion of communication facilities in the area, local people will be encouraged to connect to the internet and learn new things.”
“The Bastar region which is moving briskly towards the elimination of Naxalism, is progressing towards development through good governance,” he added.
बस्तर के सुदूर गाँव अब संचार क्रांति से जुड़ रहे हैं।
बस्तर संभाग के बीजापुर के सुदूर ग्राम बंदेपारा, अम्बेली, आकलंका, पाताकुटरू, उसकापटनम में ‘नियद नेल्ला नार’ और ‘यूएसओएफ’ योजना के तहत मोबाइल टावर का शुभारंभ किया गया है।
हमारी सरकार बनने के बाद से बस्तर के नक्सल प्रभावित…
— Vishnu Deo Sai (@vishnudsai) June 1, 2025
It is worth mentioning that of late the forces have intensified campaigns in the Maoist stronghold of Bastar, neutralising dozens of armed Maoist cadres in recent operations carried out at Karregutta hills and Abujhmad.
The ongoing Anti-Maoist campaign gains momentum after the Union Government come up with a deadline to eradicate the Maoist insurgency from the country before March next year. Earlier the government announced that only 12 districts in the country remained most affected by Maoist-insurgency as compare to 126 such districts in 2014.
