In a bid to keep pace with the commuters’ tech-savviness and changing profile, the state-run KSRTC will soon provide high-speed Internet facility to the passengers, totally free of cost. The freebie, which will be available only in the Corporation’s interstate buses in the initial phase, will be extended to the KSRTC’s entire fleet later.
“We are going to implement it on an experimental basis and if it works out well the project will be extended to all the buses, including the local and urban ones. At present we plan to provide the facility on the interstate buses and within a couple of weeks it will be available on the long-haul buses,” said KSRTC managing director M G Rajamanickam.
The KSRTC is planning to implement the project with help from Reliance JIO which recently launched their promotional offers. “ According to the company, it will provide free wi-fi facility on the buses and we are planning to launch it by November-end. The company had carried out an on board test but some technical snag occurred. JIO will install a product that they are going to launch in the Mumbai Metro trains. So the whole process will take at least one month,” Rajamanickam added.
Most importantly, the KSRTC’s novel plan will be implemented without the exchequer having to shell out even a single paisa.
“ Yes. We are not paying anything for this facility as it is their responsibility to ensure the necessary facilities. If needed, we will provide small ad space for them,” said the former Ernakulam Collector.
Also on the cards is a proposal for free Internet at the KSRTC’s Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram stations. “This will be implemented within two or three weeks. In the second phase it will be extended to the other stations as well,” said Rajamanickam.
