Delhi Buses Get Free Wi-Fi Facility: 6 Buses Launched as Pilot Project

In a bid to offer better security measures for women passengers and to offer them increased connectivity, the Delhi government today rolled out six new buses as part of a new pilot project. These six new buses will come with free Wi-Fi connectivity along with other important facilities likes CCTV cameras and GPS technology. The buses have been launched for a trial period of nearly 20 days and will run till January 15.

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Flagging off these new buses today, Delhi Transport Minister, Gopal Rai, described this as the "first step" towards ensuring women's safety in the national capital. Minister Rai revealed the government has hired two telecom companies and another third private firm to run and man these new facilities in the pilot buses in selected routes during the trial period. Post that that the authorities will evaluate the reports submitted by these companies and tenders will be issued thereafter for the facilities to be installed in the entire DTC fleet, Rai said.

Commenting on this new initiative Minister Rai said, "We had promised free Wi-Fi and complete safety for women in the city. This is the first step towards fulfilling that. Tenders for Wi-Fiacross Delhi, apart from that in buses, would be floated in March first week."

Each one of these six buses will come installed with free Wi-Fi, which passengers will get to use for 10 minutes each. Stickers have been pasted behind each bus seat with the guidelines towards availing free Wi-Fi for 10 minutes. Commenting on the same, a government official said, "This is only during the trial stage. How much will be free and how much to be paid for would be decided later."

Apart from the all of these buses will also come with three CCTV cameras each - one at the front, one at the rear and the third one facing the driver. Delhi police will be able to access the feeds from these cameras as and when required, while data would be monitored and stored by DTC and DIMTS in case of cluster buses.

Mr. Gopal Rai also urged people to send feedback through whatsapp, email and social media site 'Twitter' using the hashtag #aamaadmiwifi.