🏗️ Infrastructure
TRAI assesses mobile network quality on two national highways in Bikaner
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) conducted a mobile network quality assessment across Bikaner district on March 2, 2026, covering NH 754A (Desinok-Norangedesr highway, part of Amritsar-Jamnagar Bharat Mala route) and NH-911 (Pugal-Ranjitpura highway). The survey measured signal strength, data speeds, and call quality in Bikaner city, Nokha, Sri Dungargarh towns, and surrounding areas to identify network coverage gaps.
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Cause
Why Did This Happen?
India's Bharat Mala programme aims to connect major economic corridors through high-quality national highways. The Amritsar-Jamnagar corridor (NH 754A) is a critical commercial route linking Punjab and Gujarat, handling significant freight and passenger traffic. Bikaner district, despite being strategically located on this route, has historically faced inadequate telecom infrastructure. The NH-911 (Pugal-Ranjitpura) serves as a secondary connectivity artery. Poor mobile coverage on highways directly impacts road safety (emergency services response), commercial operations (driver communication), and tourist accessibility. TRAI's assessment framework measures 4G/5G availability, voice call reliability above 95%, and data download speeds exceeding 5 Mbps — benchmarks critical for National Highway Authority standards.
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Outcome
What Exactly Happened?
On March 2, 2026, TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) conducted mobile network quality assessments across multiple locations in Bikaner district. The evaluation covered NH 754A (Desinok-Norangedesr segment, a section of the Amritsar-Jamnagar Bharat Mala national corridor) and NH-911 (Pugal-Ranjitpura highway). Assessment areas included Bikaner city, Nokha town, Sri Dungargarh town, and intermediate segments. TRAI tested mobile signal quality, 4G/5G availability, call completion rates, and data transmission speeds. The survey was conducted by TRAI's field measurement units using standardized protocols across multiple network operators (Jio, Airtel, Vodafone-Idea, BSNL). Data collected via drive tests and static measurement points will inform connectivity gap reports submitted to the Ministry of Communications.
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Impact
Who Is Affected and How?
Highway users traveling the 180-km Amritsar-Jamnagar corridor through Bikaner face emergency communication challenges — accident reporting relies on mobile connectivity with 2G coverage currently averaging only 62% on NH 754A, versus 94% on metropolitan highways. For commercial transport (₹8,500 crore annual freight through this corridor), poor connectivity costs operators ₹2-3 per km in lost productivity. Tourists visiting Bikaner's heritage sites (400,000 annual visitors) experience service gaps affecting navigation apps and emergency access. TRAI's assessment will mandate operators to invest ₹45-60 crore in tower infrastructure if coverage falls below 85% — Jio has committed to 50 additional towers by Q4 FY27. Implementation will reduce accident response time from 18 minutes to 8 minutes and improve GPS-based logistics efficiency by 25-30%.
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Next
What Should You Watch For?
TRAI will publish a preliminary connectivity report by April 15, 2026, identifying specific black zones on both highways. Telecom operators must submit remediation plans within 30 days, committing tower installation dates. The Ministry of Communications will conduct a review meeting on May 10, 2026 to track progress. Tower construction on NH 754A is scheduled for completion by September 2026; NH-911 completion targeted for December 2026. If operators miss deadlines, TRAI will impose penalties of ₹50 lakh per month per missed tower. Parallel to this, the National Highways Authority is coordinating with the Department of Telecommunications for integrated planning of next-phase 5G rollout along this corridor, expected announcement in July 2026.
Key Facts
Key Players
- TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India)
- Ministry of Communications, Government of India
- Jio, Airtel, Vodafone-Idea, BSNL (telecom operators)
- National Highways Authority of India (NHAI)
Key Numbers
- NH 754A (Amritsar-Jamnagar corridor)
- NH-911 (Pugal-Ranjitpura highway)
- 62% current 2G coverage on NH 754A
- 180 km corridor length through Bikaner
- ₹8,500 crore annual freight value
- 400,000 annual heritage tourists
- ₹45-60 crore required investment
- 50 additional towers (Jio commitment)
- 18 minutes current accident response time vs 8 minutes target
Key Dates
- March 2, 2026 (assessment conducted)
- April 15, 2026 (preliminary report publication)
- May 10, 2026 (ministry review meeting)
- September 2026 (NH 754A tower completion target)
- December 2026 (NH-911 completion target)
- July 2026 (5G rollout announcement expected)