Chief Secretary Ladakh Dr. Pawan Kotwal chairs meeting on ‘Call Before You Dig’ (CBuD) Application and Amended BharatNet Project.

Chief Secretary Ladakh Dr. Pawan Kotwal chairs meeting on ‘Call Before You Dig’ (CBuD) Application and Amended BharatNet Project.
Leh, April 10, 2025: The Chief Secretary of the Union Territory of Ladakh, Dr. Pawan Kotwal chaired a review meeting at the Civil Secretariat in Leh to assess the implementation status on the ‘Call Before You Dig’ (CBuD) application and the Amended BharatNet Project.
The session began with a detailed presentation by Shashanka Ala, Secretary, Information Technology Department, who briefed on the functioning, objectives, and scope of the CBuD mobile application, as well as the revised framework and proposed implementation strategy for the Amended BharatNet Project in Ladakh.
Highlighting the increasing instances of damage to underground utilities due to uncoordinated excavation, the Chief Secretary underlined the urgent need for all departments and contractors to mandatorily use the CBuD application prior to carrying out any digging or excavation activities. He stressed that the application is a key digital tool introduced by the Government of India to facilitate safe and informed excavation by ensuring prior coordination between departments and service providers.
Dr. Kotwal issued strict directions to all concerned departments that if any contractor or individual is found demolishing or damaging public property, including roads or utility infrastructure, without obtaining proper permission from the relevant department, an FIR shall be lodged against the offender, and such contractors will be disqualified from participating in any future government tenders or projects.
In the context of the Amended BharatNet Project, which aims to provide last-mile internet connectivity to gram panchayats and remote habitations across Ladakh, the Chief Secretary emphasized the importance of local consultation and administrative coordination. He directed that before finalizing any implementing agency for the project, the concerned department must engage in consultations with the local administration, elected councillors, and secretaries of the relevant departments to ensure ground-level support, transparency, and efficient execution.
The meeting was attended by the Administrative Secretary, PDD, Vikram Sigh Malik; Administrative Secretary, PWD, Micheal D’Souza; Chief Conservator of Forest, Sajjad Mufti; Administrative Secretary, IT Shashanka Ala; Secretary, Higher & School Education, Bhanu Prabha; Deputy