A mobile tower has been recently installed in the Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh by the local administration to boost mobile connectivity and provide means to bring villagers living under the shadow of Maoists closer to the mainstream. The 6,500 km² district is one of the worst hit by left-wing extremism. But over the last 18 months, an operation against Maoists has picked up the pace, also including the administration installing twice as many mobile towers as compared to the previous two years.

The Bastar region consists of a total of seven districts: Bastar, Kondagaon, Kanker, Bijapur, Narayanpur, Dantewada, and Sukma.

Towers Installed by Now

According to the local officials, Maoists destroy mobile towers since they believe these will help police informers in remote villages to alert security forces. The insurgent group set fire to eight mobile towers in the district since 2022, including six in 2024–25 alone. A mobile tower was installed last month in the Kutru area, where a security personnel and a civilian driver were killed in an IED (landmine) blast in January.

However, persistent efforts by the administration and a pushback against the insurgent group has led to the installation of 48 mobile towers between January 2024 to June 2025, covering a total of 110 villages in Bijapur. In 2022 and 2023, only 24 towers could be installed.

“As of mid-2025, significant strides have been made in enhancing mobile connectivity across Bijapur, particularly in its remote and previously insurgency-affected areas. Bijapur likely has around 45% of its villages covered by mobile network, with approximately 300 villages having coverage, many of which are currently part of the ongoing government tower deployment effort,” told the District Collector, Sambit Mishra, to the national media.