DESPITE LOCKDOWN, VODAFONE IDEA RESTORES CONNECTIVITY AT IGMC SHIMLA TO AID HEALTHCARE FACILITY

Shimla: It is in the times of crisis that the grit and commitment of individuals and an organisation are put through the true test of time. Through the ongoing national lockdown, Vodafone Idea Limited (VIL) and its employees have been working in tandem to live up to their commitment to keep customers connected and served.
On April 25, 2020, Vodafone Idea Limited received a request from the Department of Health and Family Welfare, IGMC-Shimla that network at the state’s premier medical facility was down, thereby disrupting communication and essential healthcare services to those needing medical assistance.
In times like the ongoing Covid-19 lockdown, the need for medical facilities to remain operational with uninterrupted connectivity cannot be overstated.
Understanding the criticality of the issue at hand, Vodafone Idea Team LeaderManavVerma swung into action soon as he received intimation on the network issue.  He assigned a team lead by Field Engineer Pankaj Sharma to immediately proceed to IGMC. Although Pankaj, lived only 12 km away from IGMC, restrictions on vehicular movement and no other alternative transportation being available meant that Pankaj had to set off on foot armed with his laptop and equipment weighing around 30 kg.        In compliance with Vodafone Idea rules, Pankaj took care to be thoroughly prepared by donning PPE gear to avoid contact with patients in the hospital specially since IGMC-Shimla housed an isolation ward. Pankaj walked for nearly 8 km focused only on reaching the site and restoring connectivity.  At a point, he got assistance from local authorities who gave him a lift for the remaining journey till IGMC.
Once at IGMC-Shimla, Pankajquickly went down to work, identifying the fault and getting the necessary replacements done to get the link back in order. The quick support provided by Vodafone Idea and the remarkable work done by Pankaj despite the challenging on ground situation was appreciated by the IGMC team who testified that "Vodafone Idea understood the criticality of the situation and displayed true dedication to customer service. We are thankful to have people like Pankaj and his colleagues at Vodafone Idea who have set an example of true humanity,” expressed the IGMC team"