Sunil Chadha
Shimla: Amid mounting concerns over disrupted mobile connectivity in Bharmour, MLA Janak Raj on Wednesday directly engaged with the chief executives of major telecom providers from the campus of the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha in Shimla.
The legislator confirmed that he had spoken with senior officials of Airtel, BSNL, and Jio to press for urgent restoration of services that had left large sections of the population disconnected for days.
The outages, triggered by heavy rainfall and subsequent damage to infrastructure in the Chamba region, had severely hampered communication for residents, students, and pilgrims undertaking the annual Manimahesh Yatra.
Speaking after the interaction, Janak Raj reassured his constituents that network connectivity would be restored by late evening on Wednesday.
“People in Bharmour have been under tremendous stress due to the communication blackout. I personally reached out to the telecom CEOs to know the exact timeline. They have assured me that connectivity will be back by tonight,” he said.
The assurance comes as a relief for thousands in the flood-affected region, where weak signals and network outages have compounded the difficulties of residents and travelers. Students at various institutions, families waiting to contact loved ones, and pilgrims stranded on their way to Manimahesh had all raised alarm over the lack of mobile access.
Officials present at the Vidhan Sabha said the intervention underscores the state’s urgency in addressing the crisis, especially in remote areas like Bharmour where timely information and access to emergency services depend heavily on mobile networks.
Local residents and civil society groups welcomed the update, though many urged for more durable telecom infrastructure to withstand natural disasters.
“We are glad the MLA took this matter directly to the top, but stronger systems are needed so we don’t face this situation every monsoon,” said a Chamba-based community worker.
With the restoration expected by evening, authorities hope communication lines will return to normal, easing both personal and administrative challenges across Bharmour.
