Ghaziabad civic body to provide free Wi-Fi at five locations

In the next one month, city’s five locations with high footfall will have free Wi-Fi, said officials of the Ghaziabad municipal corporation on Tuesday

In the next one month, city’s five locations with high footfall will have free Wi-Fi, said officials of the Ghaziabad municipal corporation on Tuesday. The five locations identified by the civic body include the old bus stand, civil courts, Turab Nagar market, tehsil complex at Gandhi Nagar and corporation headquarters.

The officials said that the decision to provide free Wi-Fi service in these areas was taken after directions from the Uttar Pradesh government. (Unsplash. Representative image)

The project cost is pegged at ₹50 lakh per annum with 48 different access points at the five locations. The officials said that the decision to provide free Wi-Fi service in these areas was taken after directions from the Uttar Pradesh government.

“The locations were selected by a team of our officials and all the places have high footfall. It is estimated that more than one lakh people per day visit these areas. Now, a proposal will be put forward in our upcoming meeting of the executive committee to get the financial approval,” said MS Tanwar, municipal commissioner.

“The work will be awarded thereafter, and the project is expected to get implemented in the next one month,” he added.

The state administration on September 10 this year issued a government order in which the municipal corporations across the state were directed to choose places having high movement of public for the free Wi-Fi service.

The Turab Nagar market association has welcomed the corporation’s initiative.

“Our market is about 30 years old, and about 20,000 customers visit here every day. It is still without a Wi-Fi facility. If the municipal corporation provides free Wi-Fi, it will be a boost for shop owners too. Normally, there is a network issue in our market. The new facility will really helpful to both the shop owners and customers,” said Rajneesh Bansal, chairperson of Turab Nagar Vyapar Mandal.

Officials of the UP State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) said that the daily passenger footfall at the old bus stand, from where around 100 buses depart every day, is about 25,000-35,000. “The decision by the corporation to provide free Wi-Fi is a welcome step. We will urge the corporation officials to install the facility at ISBT Kaushambi too, which has a higher footfall of about 40,000 passengers, and both bus stations will soon be linked through the electric bus service,” said AK Singh, regional manager of UPSRTC.