COMMUNICATIONS

TELEPHONES

Telecommunication has increased to a great extent during the last ten years. With the development in the industrial field and increase in business activity the demand for telecommunication has risen considerably. Since the interests of the business in the district have come to be involved with those at Bombay, Kolhapur, Poona, Belgaum and the surrounding towns the necessity of telephone facility was keenly felt.

The history of telephone exchanges in the district can be traced to 1949, in which year the Sangli Telephone Exchange was opened. Subsequently two more exchanges, one at Miraj and another at Islampur, were opened in 1956 and 1962, respectively.

Sangli Exchange.

It was opened with a capacity of 100 lines with 36 working connections. The capacity of the exchange was later increased to 460 lines, and the working connections to 436 consequent upon the growing demand. Further expansion of the line capacity is under consideration.

The Sangli exchange is the parent trunk exchange for Miraj, Jaysingpur, Tasgaon, Athani auto-exchanges and a number of trunk and local public call offices. Recently the Government have decided to make Miraj and Jaysingpur exchanges as parts of Sangli exchange. This will facilitate local telephone calls covering these three towns. Additional junction lines between Sangli, Miraj and Jaysingpur are also sanctioned.

Miraj Exchange.

It was opened in March 1956 with a capacity of 50 lines and 28 working connections. Subsequently the line capacity was increased to 100 due to acute demand. The working connections were 87 in March 1963. The capacity of the exchange is proposed to be stepped up to 200 lines.

Islampur Exchange.

This auto-exchange with a line capacity of 50 was opened for operations in October 1962. The number of working connections was 24 up to March 1963.

Besides the above exchanges, trunk, public call facilities are made available at Ashta and Shirala.

The following trunk line alignments are available in Sangli district: —

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