## Policy Summary: Quality of Mobile Internet Services in Remote Areas of Ladakh
This document summarizes the Indian government's response to concerns regarding mobile internet service quality in remote areas of Ladakh, specifically addressing network congestion issues raised in Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2848, answered on August 6th, 2025. The question highlighted the impact of increased population and traffic on the 144 RCC NPD Road Neyraks Village region.
The Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development, Dr. Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar, stated that according to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India's (TRAI) Performance Monitoring Report for June 2025, all Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) met the prescribed quality of service benchmarks within the Jammu Kashmir License Service Area, which includes Ladakh.
To enhance high-bandwidth and uninterrupted mobile network coverage in rural and border villages of Ladakh, the government is undertaking the following projects under the Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN), formerly the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF):
* **BharatNet Project:** This project aims to provide broadband connectivity to all Gram Panchayats (GPs) and villages nationwide. All 193 GPs in Ladakh have been made service-ready via satellite connectivity.
* **Amended BharatNet Program (ABP):** This program focuses on upgrading the existing BharatNet Phase-I and Phase-II networks and establishing connectivity in the remaining 42,000 GPs across the country. Connectivity to approximately 380,000 non-GP villages will be provided on demand from their respective GPs.
* **4G Saturation and Other Mobile Projects:** 175 mobile towers have been commissioned in uncovered remote rural villages of Ladakh.
Key Entities Referenced
Ladakh: A region in India, specifically mentioned as having mobile internet service quality issues in remote areas.
SHRI MOHMAD HANEEFA: Member of LOK SABHA who raised a question regarding the quality of mobile internet services in Ladakh.
NimmuPadamDarcha NPD road: A road in Ladakh with heavy traffic, contributing to network congestion.
DR. PEMMASANI CHANDRA SEKHAR: Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development, who provided the answer to the question.
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India: An authority that published the Performance Monitoring Report for June 2025 for mobile services.
Jammu Kashmir: License Service Area that includes the Ladakh region for mobile services.
Digital Bharat Nidhi: A fund (DBN) , erstwhile Universal Service Obligation Fund USOF under which projects have been taken to provide high bandwidth capacity internetbroadband connectivity and mobile services.
BharatNet project: A project to provide broadband connectivity to all the Gram Panchayats GPs and villages in the country.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS
DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2848
ANSWERED ON 6TH AUGUST, 2025
QUALITY OF MOBILE/INTERNET SERVICES IN REMOTE AREAS OF LADAKH
2848. SHRI MOHMAD HANEEFA:
Will the Minister of COMMUNICATION be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government is aware that despite recent improvements in digital infrastructure,
network congestion continues to severely affect the quality of mobile and internet services in remote
areas of Ladakh such as regions like 144 RCC NPD Road Neyraks Village as these areas have
become highly populated due to the presence of labour settlements, camps of GREF and heavy traffic
along the Nimmu-Padam-Darcha (NPD) road and if so, the details thereof;
(b) the steps taken or proposed to be taken by the Government to ensure enhanced, high
bandwidth, and uninterrupted mobile network coverage in rural and border villages of Ladakh that
can address the increasing pressure of tourists, students and essential services dependent on digital
connectivity; and
(c) whether the Government proposes to launch any special telecom development package or
scheme for hilly, tribal and border regions such as Ladakh under the Universal Service Obligation
Fund (USOF) or Digital India initiatives and if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(DR. PEMMASANI CHANDRA SEKHAR)
(a) As per the Performance Monitoring Report for June-2025 published by Telecom Regulatory
Authority of India for mobile services, all Telecom Service Providers have met the prescribed quality
of service benchmarks in Jammu & Kashmir License Service Area, which includes Ladakh region.
(b) & (c) For providing high bandwidth capacity internet/broadband connectivity and mobile
services to remote, hilly, tribal, border & rural villages in the country, including Ladakh, following
projects have been taken under Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN) [erstwhile Universal Service Obligation
Fund (USOF)]:
i. BharatNet project – BharatNet project is to provide broadband connectivity to all the Gram
Panchayats (GPs) and villages in the country. All 193 Gram Panchayats (GP) of Ladakh have
been made Service Ready through satellite.
ii. Amended BharatNet Program (ABP) – Under this program, existing network of BharatNet
Phase-I and Phase-II to be upgraded in the country and creation of network in balance 42,000
GPs. The connectivity to remaining non-GP villages (about 3.8 lakhs) of the country are
proposed to be provided on demand basis from their respective GPs.
iii. 4G Saturation and other mobile projects - 175 mobile towers have been commissioned in
uncovered remote & rural villages of Ladakh.
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