Indian Government to Roll Out Public Wi-fi in 25 Cities by June 2015
The present government has taken proactive actions to make India technically strong. In an age where connectivity is power, it’s a step in the right direction. At municipal levels there have been many initiatives to provide Wi-Fi in pockets of the cities like Delhi. The government now plans to identify public places across the nation where it can begin offering Wi-Fi service by June 2015.
This initiative is a part of the audacious Digital India program, the aim of which is to connect cities with a population over 1 million and tourist spots with WiFi by December 2015. The task does look massive, and a lot of bits have to be figured out, most importantly the security aspect in this volatile nation.
According to an official source, the government will work with three or four service providers to provide the services in 25 cities across India. The project is being undertaken jointly by the Department of Telecom and the Ministry of Urban Development. The service providers will have three months time on their hands to roll out the service.
To boost tourism the government has identified 25 archeological sites for providing free WiFi access. The monuments are Humayun’s Tomb, Red Fort, Qutub Complex in Delhi, Taj Mahal, Fatehpur Sikri Sravasti and Sarnath in Uttar Pradesh, Shore Temple in Mahabalipuram, Vaishali-Kohua in Bihar, Martand Temple and Leh Palace in J&K, Konark Temple in Odisha, Rani-ki Vav Gujarat, Khajuraho and Mandu in Madhya Pradesh and Rang Ghar in Assam. So after June next year, you wouldn’t have to wait till you get to your hotel or home to upload those selfies.
The initiative is definitely appreciable, but the government needs to make sure that the plan is executed to the finish. In India, it is really easy to inaugurate an initiative but maintenance is the tough part. The government needs to ensure that the telecom operators provide a standard service which make them accountable for any malfunction. Connecting India should have a long term view and should not just be seen as a PR activity by the government. This service can attract more people to come to the Indian shores and increase revenues for the nation. Even businesses can benefit from ever present internet services and in turn help to grow the economy. This is a serious endeavor, and the government should proceed with the development understanding its healthy consequences for the economy.
