The long-awaited free Wi-Fi connectivity has finally been readied in Kochi metro trains, and commuters will be able to download data at 5 to 10 Mbps speed during the course of the journey.
Addressing the media here on Tuesday, the Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) managing director Loknath Behera said commuters could utilise their travel time either for working online or for entertainment. “At present, 4G network is being used to provide Wi-Fi connectivity. It will be upgraded to 5G network once the service is widely available. Aimed at ensuring user data privacy, care has been taken not to share user credentials with any outside agency as per statutory guidelines. Provision for seamless Wi-Fi inside trains will enhance the overall travel experience of commuters,” he added.
The project was being implemented by KMRL to promote the Digital India Campaign, in association with a Thiruvananthapuram-based company, a registered operator under the Department of Telecommunications, to offer Wi-Fi services to the public, he said.
Information on how to use free Wi-Fi has been displayed in all trains. Commuters can activate Wi-Fi on their mobiles and select ‘KMRL Free Wi-Fi’ from the available networks. They can sign up with the OTP and avail free Wi-Fi. The system comes with all security features, and there are no restrictions on content.
The proposal to introduce Wi-Fi dates back to 2017 when the metro’s 12-km Aluva-Palarivattom corridor was commissioned. It aimed at wooing youth and net-savvy commuters to the system of mass rapid transport. The original plan was to extend the facility free of cost for some time, to be followed by a token payment for the rest of the trip. The Delhi metro was the first in the country to provide Wi-Fi to commuters.
Water metro
On the commissioning of the first batch of five Water Metro ferries in the High Court-Vypeen corridor, Mr. Behera said it would be done after extensive trial runs. Senior officials will travel extensively in the vessels before their commissioning since it is the first time that a fleet of battery-powered ferries (a total of 78 ferries have been envisaged) is being introduced under a unified command and control system.
Kakkanad extension
On the delay in handing over compensation to many people who had surrendered land for the Kochi metro’s 11.20-km Kakkanad extension, he said it would not delay works.
