Assam conducts PoC trials for India’s Broadband Disaster Response System

Guwahati hosted the Proof of Concept (PoC) trials for India’s Broadband Public Protection and Disaster Relief (BBPPDR) network, marking a significant step towards strengthening mission-critical communication infrastructure for public safety and disaster management.

The trials were chaired by Akhilesh Kumar Singh, IPS, Inspector General of Police (Law & Order), Assam Police, and brought together senior officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Assam Police, the Department of Telecommunications, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and other Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs).

As part of the exercise, the Dispatcher Console was established at the Office of the Additional Director General of Police, Fire and Emergency Services. Training sessions were conducted for participating agencies, and Mission Critical Communication (MCC)-enabled handheld devices were distributed to personnel from police, fire and emergency services, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and central forces.

Telecom service provider Airtel extended network support during the trials to facilitate operational testing and interoperability assessment.

The BBPPDR initiative is designed to develop a nationwide integrated broadband communication network dedicated to public protection and disaster relief operations. The project aims to enhance coordination among first responders, improve situational awareness, and strengthen emergency preparedness and response capabilities across agencies during critical incidents and disaster situations.