In a landmark achievement for India’s digital transformation, Raygain Technologies, a leading Private 5G Network Company in India, in partnership with BSNL…, has successfully deployed the country’s first indigenous Private 5G Campus Network (CNPN) in the mining sector. The deployment took place at Hindustan Copper Limited’s (HCL) Khetri Copper Complex in Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan, marking a historic step for both the telecom and mining industries.
This pioneering project showcases how 5G technology can transform critical industries, ensuring worker safety, improving operational efficiency, and powering the future of Digital India and Atmanirbhar Bharat.
Why 5G in Mining?
Mining is one of the toughest and most dangerous industrial environments. Underground operations face unique challenges:
- Limited communication between miners and surface officials.
- Safety risks due to hazardous conditions.
- Difficulties in monitoring equipment and environmental parameters in real time.
Traditional communication systems like Wi-Fi or walkie-talkies fail to provide seamless, low-latency connectivity in such conditions. This is where Private 5G networks come in — offering reliable, secure, and ultra-fast communication, even hundreds of meters below the surface.
How a Private 5G Network Company in India Transformed Mining at Khetri
The Proof of Concept (PoC) at Khetri Mines was the first time India tested an indigenous 5G CNPN in an underground mining environment.
Key highlights of the deployment include:
- 5G RAN by Lekha Wireless and 5G Core by Niral Networks, integrated with BSNL’s infrastructure.
- Leaky cable technology for robust underground coverage.
- Aggregation of IoT and Syslog data for centralized monitoring.
- Seamless integration of connected worker systems and video analytics platforms.
This setup ensured end-to-end communication between miners underground and officials on the surface, proving that 5G is reliable even in the most challenging conditions.
Use Cases Demonstrated
During the PoC, several live use cases were demonstrated to showcase the potential of private 5G in mining:
- Connected Worker – Real-time voice and video communication from underground to surface.
- AI-Based Video Analytics – Monitoring PPE compliance, safety violations, and worker activity.
- IoT Data Integration – Collecting machine health and environmental sensor data in real time.
- OT Security – Secure, isolated data transfer without additional firewalls, ensuring compliance.
- Centralized Monitoring – Aggregating all digital data streams for decision-making and reporting.
Voices from the Ground
BSNL Jhunjhunu’s Principal General Manager, Shri Pawan Khatri, emphasized:
“The successful trial of a fully indigenous 5G-based private network in a high-risk sector like mining demonstrates India’s capability to lead the next era of digital transformation.”
Raygain Technologies representatives highlighted the scalability of this solution, noting that the success at Khetri can serve as a model for other sectors like oil & gas, power, manufacturing, and infrastructure.
As a pioneering Private 5G Network Company in India, Raygain has shown how this technology can redefine mining safety and efficiency.
Impact on India’s Mining Sector
This milestone proves that indigenous Private 5G technology is capable of transforming India’s mining industry by:
- Enhancing worker safety with real-time monitoring.
- Increasing productivity through seamless connectivity.
- Reducing downtime with IoT-driven predictive maintenance.
- Supporting India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat mission by deploying home-grown solutions.
The Road Ahead
With the success of this PoC, Raygain Technologies and BSNL have laid the foundation for scalable Private 5G deployments across India’s core industries. Mining is only the beginning — future rollouts are expected in oil refineries, power plants, manufacturing hubs, and critical infrastructure sites.
Conclusion
The deployment of India’s first Private 5G Smart Mining Network at HCL’s Khetri Mines is more than just a technological milestone — it’s a vision of the future. By combining Raygain’s expertise, BSNL’s reach, and indigenous technology partners like Lekha Wireless and Niral Networks, India has taken a bold step toward building a digitally empowered industrial ecosystem.
This achievement positions Raygain Technologies as the trusted Private 5G Network Company in India, paving the way for large-scale industrial rollouts.
