Tarun Karthick
Port Blair, 27 July 2023
In a bid to facilitate the migration to a newly laid alternate land cable, the Chennai-Andaman and Nicobar Islands Submarine Optical Fibre Cable Segment-1 (CANI) will undergo a shutdown. The decision comes in light of the ongoing construction of an underground Metro Station at Mandaveli Junction in Chennai.
Initially scheduled for a later date, the shutdown has now been rescheduled and is set to take place from 2000 Hrs on 28th July 2023 (Friday) to 1000 Hrs on 29th July 2023 (Saturday).
During the duration of the shutdown, High-Speed Internet Services are expected to be severely affected. In a bid to maintain limited connectivity, satellite internet services will be made available wherever possible.
Telecom consumers from various operators are likely to experience service degradation throughout the CANI Segment 1 shutdown, with some networks even facing complete service outages.
Notably, this is the first time the CANI cable will experience a shutdown since its launch on 10th August 2020.
The advanced shutdown has been deemed necessary to carry out essential maintenance and upgrade work, ensuring a smooth transition to the new alternate land cable. While the inconvenience to internet users is acknowledged, the authorities are working diligently to minimise disruptions and complete the Metro Station construction without compromising communication services.