When was the undersea cable-based Chennai-Andaman and Nicobar (CANI) Project inaugurated and dedicated to the nation by Prime Min…

Question

When was the undersea cable-based Chennai-Andaman and Nicobar (CANI) Project inaugurated and dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi?

1. A. August 15, 2022
2. B. August 10, 2019
3. C. January 26, 2023
4. D. August 10, 2020 (Correct answer)

Correct Answer

Option D — August 10, 2020

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is August 10, 2020.

Key Points

• The Chennai–Andaman & Nicobar Islands (CANI) submarine optical fibre cable project was inaugurated and dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 10 August 2020 through video conferencing.
• The roughly 2,300 km undersea cable connects Chennai to Port Blair, and further links Port Blair to seven other islands — Swaraj Dweep (Havelock), Little Andaman, Car Nicobar, Kamorta, Great Nicobar, Long Island and Rangat.
• It provides high-speed, reliable broadband internet to the islands, which were earlier dependent on limited and expensive satellite bandwidth.
• The project has given a major boost to e-governance, tourism, education, telemedicine, banking and other digital services across the Union Territory, bringing it on par with mainland connectivity.

Additional Information

• The CANI submarine cable runs about 2,300 km, linking Chennai with Port Blair and seven other islands, and was inaugurated by the Prime Minister on 10 August 2020.
• It lifted island bandwidth from a satellite-limited 1 Gbps to 400 Gbps to Port Blair, transforming e-governance, telemedicine and tourism in the Andamans.
• Compare with the Kochi-Lakshadweep Islands Project (KLI), the equivalent cable for the Lakshadweep group.