Kondapalli, a remote village in the Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh, has celebrated the arrival of mobile network connectivity for the first time, marking a significant step in bridging the gap between remote areas and the rest of the world. This development is particularly noteworthy as the village, located in a dense forest zone along the Telangana-Chhattisgarh border, has long been deprived of basic amenities like roads, electricity, and drinking water. The installation of a mobile tower is more than just a technological advancement; it represents the village's first real connection to the outside world.
The village, which has lived in the shadow of Naxal terror for a long time, greeted the arrival of mobile connectivity with an outpouring of emotion, celebration, and an unmistakable sense of a new beginning. As soon as officials announced the activation of the mobile tower, villagers poured onto the streets, dancing to traditional drum rolls. Men, women, and children walked in a procession to the tower site, performing traditional rituals, creating a festival-like atmosphere. Security personnel also joined in the celebrations and distributed sweets.
Mobile connectivity will now serve as a gateway for villagers to access banking, Aadhaar, ration, health schemes, pensions, and educational services — facilities that had long been out of reach. A government official noted that the mobile tower would enable villagers to avail online banking services to withdraw cash using mini-ATM services provided by the government in remote villages in Bastar. The network will benefit not only Kondapalli but also villages within a 5 km radius.
The arrival of mobile connectivity in Kondapalli is part of the state government's 'Niyad Nalla Naar' initiative, which aims to deliver essential services to sensitive and remote regions in conflict-torn Bastar. The program covers 403 villages located around newly established security and development camps, ensuring the delivery of community and individual benefit schemes. Under Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai's leadership, the scheme aims to deliver basic services to sensitive regions and build trust.
Over the past two years, 728 new towers have been installed in the Bastar region, including 116 under the LWE (Left Wing Extremism) program, 115 in aspirational districts, and 467 as 4G installations. Additionally, 449 towers have been upgraded from 2G to 4G.
The establishment of a police camp in December 2024 has allowed the administration to reach Kondapalli regularly. Electricity reached Kondapalli for the first time two months ago, and the long-defunct road to the village is being reconstructed by the Border Roads Organisation, with work underway on a 50-km stretch.
Despite these advancements, extending mobile connectivity remains challenging in Bijapur, a core Maoist zone. Of the 700-odd villages in Bijapur, around 400 are still outside mobile network coverage. Since 2022, Maoists have set fire to eight mobile towers, including six since 2024.
Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai stated that the government is committed to ensuring that every village and every family in Bastar becomes part of the development mainstream, gains access to digital services, and sees new avenues of opportunity open before them. He emphasized that this is not merely the beginning of communication but the dawn of an era of trust, transformation, and new possibilities.
