After eight years of struggle, Varamballi residents in Karnataka get BSNL network connectivity

An eight-year-long struggle for a mobile network finally came to an end for residents of Varamballi in Hosanagar taluk of Shivamogga, with a BSNL tower springing to life on November 24, 2025. As the tower became active, villagers called their friends and relatives only to check if their mobile sets were catching the network.

Vinayak Prabhu, a young man from the village, called The Hindu over the phone the same day to convey that the tower had started working and thanked the newspaper for highlighting the problems the villagers had been facing due to poor connectivity. He and other residents had written letters to many leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, several times to draw their attention to the issue.

The BSNL 4G tower, that was sanctioned for Varamballi villahe in Hosanagar taluk, under construction in May 2025.
| Photo Credit:
Sathish G.T.

Mr. Prabhu wrote to PM Modi for the first time in 2017, when he was a degree student. Since then, he had sent reminders several times. Similarly, the villagers had also approached Shivamogga Lok Sabha member B.Y. Raghavendra.

The PM, in response to the letters from Mr. Prabhu, had referred the matter to the Department of Telecommunication. However, work for the construction of the tower began only in May 2025. Besides writing letters, the villagers held several protests and also threatened to boycott elections to put pressure on the administration to sanction the tower. During the COVID-19 lockdown, those who had returned to their native places opting to work from home had experienced a tough time.

Following the persistent efforts of residents, BSNL sanctioned the tower to the village under the Universal Service Obligation programme. As a result, tower was constructed at a cost of ₹1.25 crore. The infrastructure will help residents spread over the radius of three kilometres.