New Delhi, Mar 24 (IANS): Directing states and Union Territories to ensure operational continuity of telecom services, DoT Secretary Anshu Prakash, here on Tuesday, told them that they be allowed to work without interruption.

In a letter to the Chief Secretaries of states and the advisors to UT administrations, Prakash said there had been instances when the local authorities asked telecom services personnel, their network operation and call centres to shut in view of the restrictions.

Noting that telecom infrastructure is critical for communication, internet, e-commerce and facilitating work-from-home during the restriction, he said, "It's necessary that instructions reach the field level to permit personnel maintaining and providing telecom services to continue their work without interruption."

"You are requested to designate a nodal Officer and share his coordinates, including name and telephone numbers, with us. They can be contacted by any of the telecom service/internet service providers and telecom licensees in the event of any difficulty," he said.

Telecom infrastructure included telephone exchanges, and mobile switching, network operations, transmission, data and call centres, telecom tower sites and warehouses where maintenance spares were stored, it said.

States and UTs are under lockdown to control spread of coronavirus pandemic. People have been advised to stay indoors and desist from moving out if there is no emergency or necessity.

But people engaged in essential services are exempted from such restrictions.