Cyclones, floods and landslides threaten telecom resilience 

Why in news? 

A report by the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) developed alongside the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) assessed telecom resilience across five high-risk states: Assam, Gujarat, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, and Uttarakhand. 

Challenge highlighted by the report:

India’s vast telecommunications network is increasingly vulnerable to climate-induced disasters such as cyclones, floods, and landslides. 

• The findings emphasize that structural damage to physical towers is only one part of the problem. A true system-level failure occurs when overlapping issues like power grid collapses, severed fiber/backhaul cables, and blocked road access isolate affected populations from emergency networks. 

Findings of the report

1. Cyclonic Wind & Storm Surge Risk

• Tamil Nadu: 57% of mapped telecom towers face high to very high cyclonic wind risks.
  • The highest concentrations of vulnerable towers are located in coastal districts including Chennai, Chengalpattu, and Tiruvallur. 
  • Additionally, 14% of the state’s towers are exposed to storm surges exceeding six meters, particularly in Kanchipuram, Thanjavur, and Tirunelveli.
• Assam: Despite being an inland state, an overwhelming 83% of its mapped telecom towers are situated in high cyclonic wind zones.
• Odisha & Gujarat: These states face coastal vulnerabilities similar to Tamil Nadu, with Odisha encountering severe threats from high cyclonic winds and storm surges.

2. Flood Exposure

• Tamil Nadu: 33% of towers statewide are exposed to flooding.
• Assam: 43% of mapped towers face direct flood exposure. The most severely affected districts include Nagaon, Barpeta, Lakhimpur, and Tinsukia.

3. Landslide & Seismic Vulnerabilities

• Uttarakhand & Assam: All telecom towers across both states are located in highly active landslide susceptibility zones. Specific districts with extreme exposure include Kamrup (Metropolitan) and Dima Hasao in Assam.
• Gujarat & Rajasthan: Approximately 12% of towers in Gujarat are located in highly active, high-risk seismic zones (Zone IV and Zone V).

Why Telecom Resilience Matters 

• Economic Backbone: The telecom sector contributes roughly 15% to global GDP over the past decade and is projected to reach a $2.8 trillion market by 2030.
• The 5G Multiplier: The deployment of 5G networks is expected to inject $450 billion into the Indian economy between 2023 and 2040. Interruptions in connectivity directly lead to massive cascading commercial and financial losses.
• Lifeline During Crises: Telecom networks serve as the primary infrastructure for early warning systems, emergency rescue coordination, healthcare access, and managing post-disaster logistics. Last-mile connectivity directly influences mortality and survival rates during extreme weather events.
• System-Level failure: A network can fail completely even if the physical tower remains standing. This is driven by cascading systemic failures:
  • Power Grid Failure: It leaves no electricity for base stations,
  • Fiber/Backhaul Disruption: It happens due to severed physical cables after landslides/floods;
  • Fuel Shortages: It occurs due to blocked roads and prevents generator refueling;
  • Total Network Blackout: This can lead to system-level collapse leaving the country vulnerable.

Way Forward  

1. Physical Protection & Structural Engineering

• Elevation and Flood Proofing: Elevate power generators and critical electrical components above historical high-flood levels. Install physical flood barriers and water-resistant doors around base stations.
• Upgraded Foundations: Strengthen tower anchoring designs and antenna mounts to withstand higher wind velocities, particularly in Zone IV and V cyclone regions. Use waterproofed, armored cable connectors to prevent short circuits.

2. Redundancy & Backup Power Systems

• Power Continuity: Increase battery backup capacities at essential hubs. Transition to hybrid solar/diesel systems to keep sites operational when localized power grids fail.
• Alternative Backhaul: Ensure critical communication hubs maintain redundant routing options, using satellite communication links as a secondary backup to physical fiber cables.

3. Deployable Emergency Technologies

• Cells on Wheels (COWs): Pre-position portable, vehicle-mounted mobile cellular sites outside high-risk zones to quickly restore temporary coverage to devastated areas.
• Aerial & Satellite Relays: Utilize low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite configurations and emergency drone relays to bridge network gaps during widespread infrastructure failures.

4. Institutional Coordination & Governance

• Cross-Sector Collaboration: Formalize mutual agreements between telecom service providers (TSPs), power distribution companies (DISCOMs), and local public works departments to prioritize power restoration and clear roads leading to vital communication nodes.
• Standardized Risk Mapping: Integrate CDRI and NDMA hazard data into early infrastructure planning. This ensures new network expansions are designed to meet region-specific climate risks right from the start.

Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure 

• The Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) was launched by the Prime Minister of India at the UN Climate Action Summit in New York in 2019. 
• It is a global partnership of national governments, UN agencies, programs, and multilateral development banks. 
• Emergence of idea: The foundational concept was originally pitched by India at the Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) in 2016. It marks India’s second major global initiative after the International Solar Alliance (ISA). 
• Legal Status: The Union Cabinet of India recognized the CDRI Secretariat as an International Organisation. By signing the Headquarters Agreement, the Indian government granted it exemptions, immunities, and privileges under the United Nations (Privileges and Immunities) Act, 1947, establishing its independent legal personality on par with other global bodies. 
• Membership: Its membership has steadily expanded to include nearly 60 member countries alongside over a dozen international and private sector organizations. Key institutional members include the World Bank Group, Asian Development Bank (ADB), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the European Union. 
• Governance Hierarchy:
  • Governing Council: The highest policy-making body, co-chaired by India and another member nation on rotation.
  • Executive Committee: Supervises practical program management and handles functional implementations.
  • Secretariat: Operates day-to-day administrative frameworks out of its headquarters in New Delhi, India.

Prelims Practice Question

Q. With reference to the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), consider the following statements:

1. The formulation of the idea to establish CDRI was first formally pitched by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) during the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Sendai, Japan.
2. It is an international organization with an independent legal personality whose member states are bound by legally enforceable infrastructure resilience regulations.
3. The Government of India has granted CDRI exemptions and immunities under the United Nations (Privileges and Immunities) Act, 1947.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2, and 3

Answer: (b) 3 only 

• Statement 1 is incorrect: The idea was formulated and pitched by India during the Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) in 2016, and later officially launched by India’s Prime Minister at the UN Climate Action Summit in New York in 2019. While it aligns with the Sendai Framework, the institutional idea belongs to India. 
• Statement 2 is incorrect: CDRI is a global partnership, but it is non-binding. Its member states are not bound by legally enforceable regulations. It functions as a platform for knowledge exchange, technical support, and capacity building. 
• Statement 3 is correct: In 2022, the Union Cabinet of India signed a Headquarters Agreement with CDRI. This officially recognized it as an “International Organisation” and granted it status, immunities, and privileges under Section 3 of the United Nations (Privileges and Immunities) Act, 1947, making its secretariat fully functional as an independent international body on Indian soil. 

Mains Practice Question

Q. Analyze the vulnerabilities faced by India’s telecom sector due to climate change induced disasters and suggest comprehensive measures to ensure last-mile connectivity during extreme weather events.

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