544 stations in Southern Railway get high speed Wi-Fi
Facility will help people from smaller stations connect with web world
28/11/2019, S. VIJAY KUMAR,CHENNAI
Besides the 544 stations, the free Wi-Fi service has been provided also at wayside stations where trains are scheduled to stop. file photo
Southern Railway has commissioned free Wi-Fi services at 544 railway stations in Tamil Nadu and Kerala as part of the Digitial India initiative.
The high-speed internet facility will not only serve as a value addition to passenger services, but also connect people visiting smaller stations located in rural areas in these States to the web world.
The nationwide programme of providing free Wi-Fi at over 5,000 stations in association with Tata Trusts, Google and RailTel was expedited in the 100-day programme of Railway Minister Piyush Goyal.
Southern Railway was among a few zones that achieved the target, thanks to the 4,900-km long optical fibre cable already in place.
The number of stations covered under the free Wi-Fi mission increased from 282 in March 2019 to 544 this year. Besides all major stations, the facility has been provided in almost all wayside stations that have a scheduled stoppage of trains.
The Wi-Fi services would be available at select zones on the railway station premises and passengers will have to connect to the RailWire network and enter their ten-digit mobile number for obtaining a one time password that would activate the internet service.
NMR covered
“While waiting for the train, passengers can do their office work, download a movie or e-book apart from utilising the Wi-Fi for other internet-enabled services. Provision of free high-speed internet at smaller stations located in rural pockets is to connect the people to digital technology,” Principal Chief Signal and Telecommunication Engineer, Southern Railway, S. K. Goel said. Mr. Goel said eight stations along the Mettupalayam-Ooty Nilagiris Mountain Railway were covered under the programme to facilitate tourists access internet in the heritage route. “There are many success stories where the Wi-Fi brought about a change in the lives of those who could not have accessed high-speed internet otherwise. For instance, Helen Jose, an autorickshaw driver of Kollam, downloads study material for her school-going son almost everyday while waiting for passengers.
K. Sreenath, a railway porter at Ernakulam, used Wi-Fi regularly to download study materials and he cleared a competitive exam with 82 per cent score.”
While providing access to the internet was a passenger service and a social obligation, the mission was vulnerable to abuse. RailTel would store the data of users for at least six months. “We will storing the digital footprints and also the closed-circuit television footage that covers the Wi-Fi access areas. The data would be useful in the event of a case of cybercrime reported on railway premises using the free internet facility,” he said.
Facility will help people from smaller stations connect with web world
28/11/2019, S. VIJAY KUMAR,CHENNAI
Besides the 544 stations, the free Wi-Fi service has been provided also at wayside stations where trains are scheduled to stop. file photo
Southern Railway has commissioned free Wi-Fi services at 544 railway stations in Tamil Nadu and Kerala as part of the Digitial India initiative.
The high-speed internet facility will not only serve as a value addition to passenger services, but also connect people visiting smaller stations located in rural areas in these States to the web world.
The nationwide programme of providing free Wi-Fi at over 5,000 stations in association with Tata Trusts, Google and RailTel was expedited in the 100-day programme of Railway Minister Piyush Goyal.
Southern Railway was among a few zones that achieved the target, thanks to the 4,900-km long optical fibre cable already in place.
The number of stations covered under the free Wi-Fi mission increased from 282 in March 2019 to 544 this year. Besides all major stations, the facility has been provided in almost all wayside stations that have a scheduled stoppage of trains.
The Wi-Fi services would be available at select zones on the railway station premises and passengers will have to connect to the RailWire network and enter their ten-digit mobile number for obtaining a one time password that would activate the internet service.
NMR covered
“While waiting for the train, passengers can do their office work, download a movie or e-book apart from utilising the Wi-Fi for other internet-enabled services. Provision of free high-speed internet at smaller stations located in rural pockets is to connect the people to digital technology,” Principal Chief Signal and Telecommunication Engineer, Southern Railway, S. K. Goel said. Mr. Goel said eight stations along the Mettupalayam-Ooty Nilagiris Mountain Railway were covered under the programme to facilitate tourists access internet in the heritage route. “There are many success stories where the Wi-Fi brought about a change in the lives of those who could not have accessed high-speed internet otherwise. For instance, Helen Jose, an autorickshaw driver of Kollam, downloads study material for her school-going son almost everyday while waiting for passengers.
K. Sreenath, a railway porter at Ernakulam, used Wi-Fi regularly to download study materials and he cleared a competitive exam with 82 per cent score.”
While providing access to the internet was a passenger service and a social obligation, the mission was vulnerable to abuse. RailTel would store the data of users for at least six months. “We will storing the digital footprints and also the closed-circuit television footage that covers the Wi-Fi access areas. The data would be useful in the event of a case of cybercrime reported on railway premises using the free internet facility,” he said.
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