Delhi Metro has become the first metro rail service in the country to offer free wifi service on trains. The service covers all trains and six stations on the 22km long Airport Express Line, which links Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Aiport's Terminal 3 to the New Delhi railway station.
Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) chairman Mangu Singh inaugurated the service on a running train from the Shivaji Stadium metro station. DMRC officials said the service will be soon extended to other lines of the service, as well.
Though WiFi was available on the platforms of the Airport Express Line earlier as well as on some stations on the Blue Line, this is the first time the service is being made available on running trains.
To avail this service, passengers need to log on to the WiFi network “METROWIFI_FREE” and enjoy 2mbps high-speed internet, with access to social media, chats, videos, email as well as audio/video calls all through their trip. According to the law, during the first connection, users will have to go through an identification process using their phone number for an OTP.
The WiFi project of the Delhi Metro is built and operated by a consortium managed by Maxima Digital which has partnered with the Russian technology company MaximaTelecom. MaximaTelecom is the creator and operator of Europe’s largest public transportation WiFi network that includes Moscow and St. Petersburg Metros.
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“To provide streamlined WiFi experience to consumers travelling on the Airport Express Line of Delhi Metro, we have laid down 24km fiber with 44 base stations and other active equipment to ensure that at no point in time [is the] internet connectivity lost,” said Farhad Rastamov of Maxima Digital.
India becomes the first country in South Asia to provide free WiFi connectivity to passengers travelling in underground trains. Presently this is available in just a few countries like Russia, South Korea and China
