Free WiFi service launched on Airport Express Metro, Dec 2020 target fixed for six other lines

For the first time in India, 'High-speed WiFi services' have been launched on the metro trains of the Airport Express Line on Thursday.

With this, India becomes the fourth country after Russia, South Korea and China to launch WiFi facility in the metro trains.

Passengers will now be able to access the WiFi simply by logging into the network with the name 'METROWIFI_FREE'. It has 2mbps speed and usage is unlimited.

After launching the facility, Dr Mangu Singh, Managing Director of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) told ANI, "Internet connectivity is very important. Although we have WiFi in stations and now this seamless continuous connectivity is a significant step. It is challenging especially because providing WiFi in a moving vehicle is very difficult."

In addition, Mangu said, "The work has already started in all the six lines except the new ones (Magenta and Pink Line). However, the work is much more challenging in these lines because the number of trains and coaches are more which requires more working hour. By December 2020 target will be fulfilled."

The people involved in this project used to work for three hours at night to avoid any untoward incidents.

"This is for the first time in India that the free Wi-Fi facility on moving Metro Trains has been launched. Delhi Metro currently provides Wi-Fi facility at many of its major stations, including those on yellow and blue lines," DMRC tweeted.

Twenty-four km fibre, seven-kilometre of power cable with 44 base station and other components have been ensured to make avail error-free internet network.

A passenger named Rahul Angad said, "It is a gift to us by DMRC and we are thankful to them. Internet connectivity is essential these days especially here because we can easily access flights updates now."

Deepak Kumar another passenger said, "This is an achievement. I am happy. Hope DMRC spreads this in rest of the lines soon."

A consortium of M/s Maxima digital Pvt Ltd, M/s techno sat comm (India) Pvt and M/s Didi technologies implemented the project. Delhi Metro stations already have the facility of free WiFi.