Union IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad checks Wi-Fi on his mobile at the Taj Mahal. (Press Trust of India photo)
Tourists visiting the Taj Mahal can now access Wi-Fi service for free for the first 30 minutes as the facility was formally launched by Communications and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad today.
After free usage limit of 30 minutes, a customer can continue using the service on paid basis for which subscription plans are available in various denominations, the Communications and IT ministry said in a statement.
The facility has been set up by state-run operator BSNL with the optical fibre backbone which can provide high internet speed of up to 100 Mbps, it said.
As part of the Digital India programme, the government is working towards enabling all cities with a population of over one million and tourist centres with wi-fi hotspots.
In February, Wi-Fi facility was launched by BSNL at Dashashwamedh Ghat and Shitala Ghats of Varanasi. It also plans to provide Wi-Fi at Fatehpur Sikri, Khajuraho and Jagannath Puri and others by March 2016.
"BSNL has plans to invest more than Rs 1,200 crore in UP (West) Circle during 2015-16. Out of this approximate Rs 200 crore will be invested in upgrading and expanding mobile network," Mr Prasad said.
The minister said that BSNL is expanding 3G network in UP (W) circle by installing 596 new BTS sites. It is also installing 795 new 2G BTS sites to increase the network coverage.
"This expansion will help in providing improved 3G services to existing BSNL subscribers as well as in 152 new cities/towns," the minister said.
About Rs 982 crore will be invested in National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) under Phase-I covering 14,474 village panchayats spread over 227 blocks of UP(W) Circle, he said.