By Ijaz Kakakhel

The Special Communication Organization (SCO) has requested the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecom (MoITT) for an early release of Rs1018.4 million for the permanent restoration of telecom infrastructure damaged by flash floods, landslides and cloudbursts in high-altitude and remote areas of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) during the July-August period last year.

The SCO is a public-sector organization under the MoITT, responsible for operating and maintaining all telecom services in AJK and Gilgit Baltistan.

According to the official documents available with Wealth Pakistan, key telecom installations were either swept away or severely damaged by floodwaters and landslides, suspending or degrading communication services and further complicating relief and rescue operations.

The SCO immediately mobilized available technical resources and maintenance stores to restore the maximum possible services through temporary arrangements. However, it was noted that these stopgap measures were prone to frequent breakdowns and could not provide a sustainable solution.

According to the documents, the communication outages compounded the hardships faced by the calamity-hit population, making the immediate restoration of services a critical priority.

The damage was estimated at Rs1.018 billion, prompting the MoITT to furnish a request with the Finance Division for an early release of a grant to permanently rehabilitate the affected infrastructure.

The largest share of losses, amounting to Rs464.4 million, was recorded in transmission and cable networks. The damaged assets include 40 kilometers of underground optical fiber cable, 60 kilometers of aerial optical fiber cable, 1,000 utility poles and accessories, and 54 kilometers of copper cable.

Another major component of the losses relates to wireless communication infrastructure. Four Base Transceiver Station (BTS) sites and associated transmission equipment, along with eight microwave towers/dishes, suffered estimated damages of Rs354 million.

Civil infrastructure also sustained significant destruction. Damage to telecom site structures, solar power systems, and earthing facilities at multiple locations was estimated at Rs200 million.

The assessment includes repairs to 25 telecom sites, replacement of 15 solar power systems of 10-kilowatt capacity, and restoration of 25 earthing points.

Currently, many systems are operating at reduced capacity due to temporary measures, resulting in network congestion, slower communication services, and an increased likelihood of service interruptions.

The affected areas are among the most geographically challenging parts of the country, where communication networks serve as a lifeline for residents, businesses, and emergency responders.

The disaster has highlighted the vulnerability of telecom infrastructure to climate-induced extreme weather events, underscoring the need for more resilient communication systems in mountainous regions.

Credit: INP-WealthPk