From Wednesday, board a bus at Feroz Shah Kotla and get free wifi

Delhi’s bus shelters will now offer free wi-fi service to commuters.

The facility will be launched at the Feroz Shah Kotla bus stand on Wednesday. The Delhi government, which has roped in a private company to provide the service, will extend it to other bus shelters too.

Officials said the free service will be provided by a British telecommunications company. “Once the service at Feroz Shah Kotla is launched day after tomorrow, it will be extended to five other bus shelters within the next few days,” a government official said.

The bus stops that are going to get this facility include the ones at Gargi College, Vishwavidyalaya metro station, Lajpat Nagar, Nehru Place and Masjid Mor. The official said the service at Feroz Shah Kotla will continue for a month and based on people’s response, will be extended.

“The company is already providing 78 wi-fi hotspots at important locations in the city. These include Dilli Haat (INA), IGI Airport, Hauz Khas village, Delhi cyber hub and so on,” another official said.

Last week, a bus stand on the Ring Road in Lajpat Nagar became the first in the city to go air-conditioned. The initiative was part of a marketing campaign by an AC manufacturer. The bus stop has been covered with transparent plastic curtains, and photos showed a large AC unit installed inside, secured with a chain.

In December, the same telecommunications service provider installed air purifiers at several stops. That project coincided with a period when air pollution is usually high in the Capital as farmers burn crop residue in neighbouring states.