AAP govt to execute free Wi-Fi project

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 27

The Delhi government is all set to finally execute its much-talked about free Wi-Fi project in the capital. Its Public Works Department (PWD) had earlier cited “inability” due to lack of expertise to implement the AAP government’s ambitious plan.

In this financial year, the Delhi government had announced a budgetary allocation of Rs 100 crore to provide free Wi-Fi. However, the government did not specify any timeline for the project.

Providing free Wi-Fi facility at public places in the city is one of the key promises that the party had made in its manifestoes during election season and the government had made allocations for the project even during the previous two years.

This year the charge of the Wi-Fi project was transferred to the PWD from the Information and Technology Department to expedite the work. The issue is understood have been recently discussed during a Cabinet meeting and PWD Engineer-in-Chief Rakesh Kumar Agrawal has been asked to go ahead with the project.

Earlier this year, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had said that the government was exploring ways and models for implementing the project.

In March 2016, the Dialogue and Development Commission (DDC) of Delhi chaired by the Chief Minister had rolled out free Wi-Fi facility on a three-month pilot basis at Sant Nagar market in Burari, north Delhi. Later, the city government had promised setting up free Wi-Fi zones by December-end, but the project saw little progress until this year.