Delhi: AAP government to launch free Wi-Fi facility next year
Delhiites could get free Wi-Fi facility at public places from March 2019 as AAP Government has planned to launch the same as the pilot project next year. In the 2018-19 budget, Delhi Government allocated Rs. 100cr to provide Wi-Fi facility, but it didn't mention a timeline for the project completion. Free Wi-Fi was also one of the key poll promises of the AAP Government.
PWD had said insufficient staff could delay the project
In March this year, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had said that Wi-Fi project, which was earlier with the Information and Technology (IT) Department, has been given to the PWD to "expedite" the work. However, the PWD said it will not be able to execute Wi-Fi project due to "non-availability of sufficient staff" and "no expertise" in this field.
AAP Government working on three-four models to implement Wi-Fi
The PWD department said the expected date for issue of request for proposals (RFP) is June 30, 2018. In February this year, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had said that the AAP government was working on three to four models for implementing the project.
Over 500 locations in Delhi to get free Wi-Fi
As the AAP formed its government in Delhi, the project was initially assigned to the Dialogue and Development Commission (DDC) of Delhi chaired by the Chief Minister. In March 2016, the DDC had started first free Wi-Fi facility on a three-month pilot basis in Sant Nagar market in north Delhi's Burari. Thereafter, the ruling dispensation had promised that over 500 locations will get Wi-Fi.
