Lahaul & Spiti gets satellite phone facility

Dipender Manta

Mandi, July 11

To improve emergency response capabilities in Lahaul and Spiti, the district administration has introduced a satellite phone facility at the Public Works Department (PWD) rest house at Batal on the Gramphu-Kaza highway.

The initiative aims to address the issue of the lack of mobile phone connectivity in the tribal district, particularly between Koksar and Losar on the highway, which often delays critical communication during emergency situations.

The decision to instal the satellite phone service at a strategic location was taken as there had been numerous instances when the lack of a reliable communication infrastructure had hindered rescue operations in emergency situations. About 600 tourists were stranded in the Batal and Chandertal areas last year, underscoring the need for effective communication channels in the remote region.

Earlier, PWD officials or tourists had to undertake arduous journeys to relay emergency messages to the authorities in Keylong and Kaza, causing significant delays in response time. Such delays not only prolonged the distress of the stranded individuals, but also hampered coordination for rescue efforts.

Lahaul and Spiti DC Rahul Kumar said a direct communication with the district disaster management authorities in Keylong and Kaza would facilitate swift action during emergency situations.

Meanwhile, local stakeholders, including dhaba owners in Batal, welcomed the new communication infrastructure, terming it as a boon to stranded travellers, who can now easily contact their loved ones during an emergency situation.