 ASHWANI SHARMA
Early Times Report
UDHAMPUR, Jan 23: An 18-hour-long communication blackout in the remote Lalli , bariote , shergali, thatakot, Puni, Gabbar, saadi villages area of Moungri Tehsil has exposed glaring shortcomings in rural telecom infrastructure, leaving residents isolated and raising serious questions over the reliability of mobile services in Udhampur district.
The disruption occurred after a local Jio mobile tower shut down following a routine power failure, completely cutting off mobile connectivity in the area. The affected tower serves approximately 10 villages with a population of nearly 15,000 people, effectively silencing an entire rural belt for hours.
Despite the prolonged outage, official network monitoring platforms continued to show no major disruption across the district, highlighting a troubling disconnect between reported service status and the harsh ground reality in rural regions.
According to residents, the affected tower lacks a functional power backup system and becomes non-operational whenever the electricity supply is interrupted-a frequent occurrence in this hilly region.
"When electricity goes, the tower shuts down instantly. There is no alternative arrangement," said a local resident. "Maintenance staff visit only a few times a month. During emergencies, there is no one to respond."
The failure turned basic communication into a luxury, leaving villagers unable to contact relatives, access online services, or seek emergency assistance.
The blackout posed severe risks to patients, elderly persons, and pregnant women, who depend on mobile phones as their only link to health workers, ambulances, and nearby medical facilities.
"Mobile connectivity is our lifeline," another resident said. "Without network, we are completely cut off from the outside world."
Responding to the outage, Jio representative Sandeep Jasrotia attributed the disruption to adverse weather conditions, stating that technical staff were unable to reach the site due to heavy rainfall and traffic blockages near Panchari.
"Special teams were deployed, but weather conditions delayed access. Efforts to restore services will resume once conditions improve," he said.
However, residents have questioned why a critical telecom installation in a disaster-prone rural area lacks robust power backup, making it vulnerable to even short power cuts.
The incident has intensified criticism over the quality of telecom services in rural belts, where a single technical failure can paralyse entire communities for extended periods.
Locals have demanded immediate intervention, including installation of reliable backup power systems, regular monitoring, and a faster emergency response mechanism. They have also urged the district administration and telecom regulators to review the preparedness of mobile infrastructure in remote areas.
As the government pushes for digital governance and online service delivery, the blackout in Lalli stands as a stark reminder that digital progress remains incomplete as long as villages remain disconnected during crises. |
