Disconnected in digital India: Gujarat village still awaits mobile tower; for villagers, sending a text takes longer than a postcard

RAJKOT: In an era when India is racing ahead with digital payments, online classrooms, and smartphone-driven services, there are still villages where even making a phone call is a distant dream. Located just 22 km from Savarkundla town in Amreli district, Nal is a village where sending a text message can take longer than mailing a postcard. For its 2,000 residents, the most urgent demand is not better roads or water supply but something far more basic in today's world — a mobile signal.For years, the village has remained cut off from the digital landscape due to the absence of a mobile tower. Residents say they have repeatedly appealed to political leaders and telecom companies, but their pleas have gone unheard. "We only get auto-replies," villagers say, pointing out how, during emergencies, they are forced to climb electric poles or trek to higher ground in search of a faint network.The lack of connectivity has left its mark on every aspect of life. Farmers still rely on radio broadcasts for weather updates and market prices, while their counterparts elsewhere get instant updates on mobile apps. "We are left behind," says Vanraj Thakor, a diamond polisher who commutes daily to Bhavnagar district. "Digital tools that help farmers across India are out of our reach because we don't even have a signal."Students are among the worst affected. Many travel to nearby villages to submit online admission or recruitment forms, often missing deadlines. Villagers also struggle to apply for government schemes or make digital payments, making everyday tasks more complicated.Highlighting the issue, former MLA and Amreli District Congress Committee president Pratap Dudhat recently wrote to Union communications minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, stressing that lack of connectivity was depriving Nal's youth of education and opportunities. A copy of the letter was also forwarded to BSNL."When we take pride in digital payments and online services, we must also face the reality that many villages still have no basic connectivity," Dudhat said. "TRAI should compel telecom companies to ensure at least minimum coverage in such areas."