Bhubaneswar: Vodafone Idea’s enterprise arm Vi Business has joined hands with Hindalco Industries to deploy a dedicated private network at the Baphlimali Bauxite Mine in Rayagada district, Odisha. The multi‑year managed services project will provide a secure digital backbone for Hindalco’s connected mining operations, marking the company’s first such implementation.
The deployment covers the full private network stack — spectrum, core, RAN and managed services — designed to deliver reliable connectivity across the mining site. Hindalco said the initiative would enable intelligent, future‑ready mines by supporting automation, surveillance and real‑time monitoring.
“Our first dedicated private network at Baphlimali will create a critical digital backbone for connected, automated, and data‑driven mining operations,” said Kailash Pandey, CEO, Aluminium Upstream, Hindalco Industries.
What It Means for Mining Operations
Worker safety: Digital solutions for monitoring and emergency response.
Fleet management: Real‑time tracking of vehicles and equipment.
Surveillance: Drone and CCTV‑based monitoring for enhanced security.
Operational efficiency: Data‑driven insights to streamline processes.
Future scalability: Network designed to support upcoming digital applications.
For Vi Business, the project strengthens its enterprise connectivity portfolio, especially in industrial environments where secure, dedicated infrastructure is critical. The company emphasised that the network is built to handle current demands while allowing seamless integration of future digital use cases.
This collaboration signals a shift towards smarter mining in Odisha, with technology playing a central role in safety, efficiency and sustainability.