Question : Charges for Wi-fi Services

(a) whether the Government is planning to introduce Wi-Fi services inside the trains and if so, the details thereof;

(b) the time frame by when Wi-Fi service inside trains will be started;

(c) whether the passengers will be charged for the Wi-Fi services inside the train and if so, the details thereof;

(d) the number of railway stations having free Wi-Fi services;

(e) whether there is a delay in providing Wi-Fi services in the remaining railway stations; and

(f) the routes and trains in which the said facility is planned to be provided?

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS AND COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

(SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

(a) & (b): Ministry of Railways have been exploring suitable cost effective technology for providing Wi-Fi based internet facility in trains.

As a pilot project, Wi-Fi based internet facility was provided in Howrah Rajdhani Express Trains through Satellite Communication technology. This technology was capital intensive, with recurring costs in the form of bandwidth charges and thus was not cost effective. Also, the internet bandwidth availability to passengers was inadequate. Hence the project was dropped.

As and when suitable technology is available, necessary action for provision of facility shall be taken.

(c): Decision on charging for Wi-Fi facility shall be taken as and when the facility is introduced in the trains.

(d): Wi-Fi services have been provided at 5463 stations upto 26th November, 2019.

(e): No, Sir.

(f): This facility is planned to be provided in important passenger carrying trains on Indian Railways, as and when suitable technology is available.


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