Lok Sabha Question No. 5986 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-04-04
Subject: Wi-Fi Facility
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: RAJESHBHAI NARANBHAI CHUDASAMA, GEETHA KOTHAPALLI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.5986 TO BE ANSWERED ON 4 TH  APRIL, 2018

## Wi-Fi FACILITY

## 5986.  SHRI RAJESHBHAI CHUDASAMA: SHRIMATI KOTHAPALLI GEETHA:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

(a) whether  it  is  a  fact  that  Government  proposes  to  provide  free  high-speed  Wi-Fi connectivity in all cities and towns across the country over the next three years and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the said proposal will be implemented by Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, if so, the details thereof;

(c) the details and the number of Wi-Fi hotspots set up in the country during each of the last three  years  and  the  current  year,  State/UT-wise  along  with  the  funds  sanctioned  and  spent during the said period in this regard; and

(d) whether the Government is setting up Google Stations in the State of Andhra Pradesh for  providing  high  speed  internet  services  in  about  thirty  thousand  panchayats  by  December, 2018 and if so, the details thereof and the progress made by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS & MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI MANOJ SINHA)

(a) to (c) At present there is  no  proposal  to provide  free  high  speed  Wi-Fi connectivity in all cities and towns across the country. However, following actions have been taken for providing Wi-Fi Facility including in cities and towns across the country:

- (i) Department of Telecommunications in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism has  taken  initiative  of  providing  Wi-Fi  facility  at  100  tourist  places  across  the country  on  free-cum-chargeable  basis  through  Bharat  Sanchar  Nigam  Limited (BSNL), Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) and RailTel Corporation of India Limited (RailTel). So far Wi-Fi has been implemented at 90 places with financial assistance by the Ministry of Tourism with releasing of Rs 11.4 Cr to BSNL & MTNL. The state wise details of Wi-Fi set up are at Annexure-A.
- (ii) BSNL  is  providing  Wi-Fi  Hotspots  services  at  the  technically  feasible  and commercially  viable  locations  on  PAN  India  basis  (except  Delhi  &  Mumbai). BSNL has provided 7882 Wi-Fi Hotspots under revenue share model and 7365 Wi-Fi  Hotspots  through  its  own  CAPEX  model  till  31.01.2018  at  the  cost  of Rs  646  Cr.  The  Telecom  Circle  wise  details  of  Wi-Fi  set  up  are  enclosed  as Annexure B.

- (iii)  Further,  Ministry  of  Railways  has  plans  to  provide  free  Wi-Fi  at  all  stations across the country which is being implemented by RailTel Corporation of India Limited  (RailTel).  So  far  Wi-Fi  services  have  been  provided  at  564  Railway Stations  at  no  cost  to  Railways  and  Rs  16.74  Cr  has  been  sanctioned  under USOF for Wi-Fi facility at 200 rural stations. The details of  number of Railway stations provided with Wi-Fi facility are as follows:
- (iv)  Last  mile  connectivity  through  Wi-Fi  or  any  suitable  broadband  technology  is proposed  to all  Gram  Panchayats  in the country under BharatNet and Rs 4066 Cr has been approved for provisioning of such connectivity.
- (v) Wi-Fi  hotspots  have  been  approved  for  around  25,000  Rural  Exchanges  of BSNL  under  USOF.  The  implementation  is  through  BSNL.  State/Circle  wise details are at Annexure C.

| S.N.   | Year    |   No of Stations provided with Wi-Fi facility |
|--------|---------|-----------------------------------------------|
| 1      | 2015-16 |                                            05 |
| 2      | 2016-17 |                                           112 |
| 3      | 2017-18 |                                           447 |
|        | Total   |                                           564 |

(d) At present, no proposal is in consideration at the Department of Telecommunications.

## Annexure-A

## List of 90Tourist places  where Wi-Fi facility has been provided

|   Sr. No. | Name of the Site                                 | State/UT       |
|-----------|--------------------------------------------------|----------------|
|         1 | Ramakrishna Beach, Vizag                         | Andhra Pradesh |
|         2 | LalBagh, Bengaluru                               | Karnataka      |
|         3 | Brindavan Gardens, Mysore,                       | Karnataka      |
|         4 | Cubbon Park, Bengaluru                           | Karnataka      |
|         5 | Guruvayur Temple                                 | Kerala         |
|         6 | Upper Lake, Bhopal                               | Madhya Pradesh |
|         7 | Orchcha Temple, Orchcha                          | Madhya Pradesh |
|         8 | Boulevard, Puducherry                            | Tamil Nadu     |
|         9 | Meenakshi Temple, Madurai                        | Tamil Nadu     |
|        10 | Botanical Garden, Ooty,                          | Tamil Nadu     |
|        11 | HussainSagar Lake, Hyderabad                     | AP/Telangana   |
|        12 | Jagannath Temple, Puri                           | Odisha         |
|        13 | Har Ki Pauri, Haridwar                           | Uttarakhand    |
|        14 | Tirumala Temple                                  | Andhra Pradesh |
|        15 | Bodh Gaya                                        | Bihar          |
|        16 | Devka Beach                                      | Daman          |
|        17 | Daman Fort                                       | Daman          |
|        18 | Nagoa Beach                                      | Diu            |
|        19 | Vanganga Lake Garden, Silvassa                   | Dadra          |
|        20 | Ghats of Varanasi,                               | Uttar Pradesh  |
|        21 | Charminar, Hyderabad                             | AP/Telangana   |
|        22 | Brihadeswar Temple, Thanjavur                    | Tamil Nadu     |
|        23 | Hampi                                            | Karnataka      |
|        24 | TajMahal, Agra                                   | Uttar Pradesh  |
|        25 | FatehpurSikri, Agra                              | Uttar Pradesh  |
|        26 | Sarnath Temple, Sarnath                          | Uttar Pradesh  |
|        27 | Khajuraho                                        | Madhya Pradesh |
|        28 | Konark Temple                                    | Odisha         |
|        29 | Shore Temple, Mahabalipuram,                     | Tamil Nadu     |
|        30 | Dargah, Ajmer                                    | Rajasthan      |
|        31 | Water Sports Complex, Aberdean Bazar, Port Blair | A&N Islands    |
|        32 | Virbhadra Temple, Lepakshi                       | Andhra Pradesh |
|        33 | Rushikonda Beach, Vizag                          | Andhra Pradesh |
|        34 | Pulicat Lake, Nellore                            | Andhra Pradesh |
|        35 | Kamkhya Temple, Guwahati                         | Assam          |
|        36 | Rani-Ki Vav, Patan                               | Gujarat        |
|        37 | Sun Temple, Modhera                              | Gujarat        |
|        38 | Diu Fort, Diu                                    | Gujarat        |
|        39 | Sabarmati Riverfront, Ahmedabad                  | Gujarat        |
|        40 | Group of Temples, Pattadakal                     | Karnataka      |
|        41 | Group of Temples, Aihole                         | Karnataka      |
|        42 | Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysala, Belur           | Karnataka      |
|        43 | GolGumbaz, Bijapur                               | Karnataka      |
|        44 | DariyaDaulatBagh, Srirangapattnam                | Karnataka      |

|   45 | Shravanabelagola                                 | Karnataka        |
|------|--------------------------------------------------|------------------|
|   46 | Ulsoor Lake, Bengaluru                           | Karnataka        |
|   47 | Mysore Palace,Mysore                             | Karnataka        |
|   48 | Dakshineshwar Temple, Kolkata                    | West Bengal      |
|   49 | Badami Caves, Bagalkote                          | Karnataka        |
|   50 | Bekal Fort                                       | Kerala           |
|   51 | Royal Places, Mandu                              | Madhya Pradesh   |
|   52 | Buddisht Monuments at Sanchi                     | Madhya Pradesh   |
|   53 | Pre-historic rock shelters of Bhimbetka          | Madhya Pradesh   |
|   54 | Group of Temples at Amarkantak                   | Madhya Pradesh   |
|   55 | Gwalior Fort, Gwalior                            | Madhya Pradesh   |
|   56 | Marble Rocks, Jabalpur                           | Madhya Pradesh   |
|   57 | Pachmarhi Hills                                  | Madhya Pradesh   |
|   58 | Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church, Panaji | Goa              |
|   59 | Kailashnath Temple, Kanchipuram                  | Tamil Nadu       |
|   60 | Kodaikanal                                       | Tamil Nadu       |
|   61 | Yercaud                                          | Tamil Nadu       |
|   62 | Vivekananda Rock Memorial, Kanyakumari           | Tamil Nadu       |
|   63 | RamappaTemple,Warangal                           | Telangana        |
|   64 | Golkonda Fort                                    | Telangana        |
|   65 | Salarjung Museum, Hyderabad                      | Telangana        |
|   66 | Nehru Zoological Park, Hyderabad                 | Telangana        |
|   67 | Medak Church                                     | Telangana        |
|   68 | Kushinagar                                       | UP(East)         |
|   69 | Rani Jhansi Fort, Jhansi                         | UP(East)         |
|   70 | Residency, Lucknow                               | UP(East)         |
|   71 | BadaImambara, Lucknow                            | UP(East)         |
|   72 | TriveniSangam, Allahabad                         | UP(East)         |
|   73 | Miraman Beach, Goa                               | Goa              |
|   74 | Veena Lake, Mahabaleshwar                        | Maharashtra      |
|   75 | Fort Kochi                                       | Kerala           |
|   76 | Victoria Memorial, Kolkata                       | West Bengal      |
|   77 | Indian Museum, Kolkata                           | West Bengal      |
|   78 | The Mall, Shimla                                 | Himachal Pradesh |
|   79 | Great Buddha Statue, Bodh Gaya                   | Bihar            |
|   80 | PuranaQuila                                      | Delhi            |
|   81 | Lodhi Gardens                                    | Delhi            |
|   82 | Elephant Caves                                   | Mumbai           |
|   83 | National Museum                                  | Delhi            |
|   84 | Marine Drive                                     | Mumbai           |
|   85 | Chowpaty Beach                                   | Mumbai           |
|   86 | Safdarjung Tomb                                  | Delhi            |
|   87 | Red Fort                                         | Delhi            |
|   88 | Humayun's Tomb                                   | Delhi            |
|   89 | Qutub Complex                                    | Delhi            |
|   90 | National Rail Museum                             | Delhi            |

## Year wise Details of Wi-Fi Hotspots Provided by BSNL

## Annexure B

| Telecom Circle   | 2015-16                     | 2015-16             | 2016-17                     | 2016-17             | 2017-18 ( As on 31.1.2018)   | 2017-18 ( As on 31.1.2018)   | Last three Years(Total)     | Last three Years(Total)   |
|------------------|-----------------------------|---------------------|-----------------------------|---------------------|------------------------------|------------------------------|-----------------------------|---------------------------|
| Telecom Circle   | Revenue Share Model Project | CAPEX Model Project | Revenue Share Model Project | CAPEX Model Project | Revenue Share Model Project  | CAPEX Model Project          | Revenue Share Model Project | CAPEX Model Project       |
| A&N              | 0                           | 0                   | 6                           | 0                   | 8                            | 0                            | 14                          | 0                         |
| Assam            | 0                           | 0                   | 25                          | 0                   | 22                           | 174                          | 47                          | 174                       |
| Bihar            | 25                          | 0                   | 12                          | 0                   | 9                            | 7                            | 46                          | 7                         |
| Jharkhand        | 0                           | 0                   | 27                          | 0                   | 33                           | 40                           | 60                          | 40                        |
| Kolkata          | 0                           | 0                   | 0                           | 0                   | 16                           | 206                          | 16                          | 206                       |
| NE-I             | 0                           | 0                   | 0                           | 0                   | 0                            | 105                          | 0                           | 105                       |
| NE-II            | 0                           | 0                   | 0                           | 0                   | 0                            | 94                           | 0                           | 94                        |
| Orissa           | 13                          | 0                   | 0                           | 0                   | 0                            | 116                          | 13                          | 116                       |
| West Bengal      | 0                           | 0                   | 5                           | 0                   | 0                            | 129                          | 5                           | 129                       |
| AP               | 440                         | 0                   | 203                         | 0                   | 36                           | 654                          | 679                         | 654                       |
| Chennai          | 43                          | 0                   | 8                           | 0                   | 4                            | 96                           | 55                          | 96                        |
| Karnataka        | 548                         | 0                   | 421                         | 0                   | 1695                         | 885                          | 2664                        | 885                       |
| Kerala           | 180                         | 0                   | 40                          | 0                   | 312                          | 570                          | 532                         | 570                       |
| Tamil Nadu       | 113                         | 0                   | 34                          | 0                   | 1                            | 158                          | 148                         | 158                       |
| Haryana          | 40                          | 0                   | 176                         | 0                   | 113                          | 130                          | 329                         | 130                       |
| HP               | 12                          | 0                   | 33                          | 0                   | 7                            | 87                           | 52                          | 87                        |
| J&K              | 95                          | 0                   | -56                         | 0                   | 0                            | 36                           | 39                          | 36                        |
| Punjab           | 73                          | 0                   | 16                          | 0                   | 50                           | 182                          | 139                         | 182                       |
| Rajasthan        | 236                         | 0                   | 22                          | 0                   | 2                            | 183                          | 260                         | 183                       |
| UP (East)        | 70                          | 0                   | 126                         | 0                   | 19                           | 113                          | 215                         | 113                       |
| UP (West)        | 97                          | 0                   | -21                         | 0                   | 24                           | 102                          | 100                         | 102                       |
| Uttarakhand      | 28                          | 0                   | 60                          | 0                   | 0                            | 43                           | 88                          | 43                        |
| Chhattisgarh     | 30                          | 0                   | 86                          | 0                   | 49                           | 144                          | 165                         | 144                       |
| Gujarat          | 83                          | 0                   | 216                         | 0                   | 20                           | 1917                         | 319                         | 1917                      |
| Madhya Pradesh   | 255                         | 0                   | 83                          | 0                   | 46                           | 360                          | 384                         | 360                       |
| Maharashtra      | 124                         | 0                   | 1430                        | 0                   | 38                           | 834                          | 1592                        | 834                       |
| Total            | *2505                       | 0                   | *2952                       | 0                   | *2504                        | 7365                         | *7961                       | 7365                      |

## Annexure-C

## State wise details of Public Wi-Fi hotspots being set up by BSNL at 25,000 Rural Telephone Exchanges:

| Name of State/Circle     |   Installed |   Integrated |
|--------------------------|-------------|--------------|
| Assam                    |         190 |          159 |
| Bihar                    |           8 |            5 |
| Jharkhand                |          63 |           38 |
| NE I *                   |          50 |           44 |
| NE II **                 |          47 |           37 |
| Odisha                   |          67 |           63 |
| West Bengal              |          11 |           10 |
| Haryana                  |         193 |          181 |
| Himachal Pradesh         |         215 |          190 |
| Jammu &Kashmir           |          63 |           63 |
| Punjab                   |         288 |          270 |
| Rajasthan                |         135 |          117 |
| UP                       |         468 |          435 |
| Uttarakhand              |         110 |          107 |
| Chhattisgarh             |          30 |           30 |
| Gujrat                   |          90 |           90 |
| Madhya Pradesh           |          50 |           49 |
| Maharashtra              |          50 |           50 |
| Karnataka                |         113 |          113 |
| Andhra Pradesh           |          65 |           58 |
| Telangana                |          80 |           57 |
| Kerala                   |         370 |          268 |
| Chennai Telecom District |          20 |           20 |
| Tamil Nadu               |          50 |           50 |
| Total                    |        2826 |         2487 |

- (b) NE-II** Nagaland, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh

*************