Lok Sabha Question No. 381 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-07-22
Subject: Wi-Fi Facility
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: KALIKESH NARAYAN SINGH DEO, MEENAKASHI LEKHI, VIJAY KUMAR HANSDAK

**GOVERNMENT OF INDIA**

**MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY**

**DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS**

**LOK SABHA**

**UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.381**

**TO BE ANSWERED ON 22** **ND** **JULY, 2015**

**WI-FI FACILITY**

**381.	SHRI KALIKESH N. SINGH DEO:**

**SHRIMATI MEENAKASHI LEKHI:**

**SHRI VIJAY KUMAR HANSDAK:**

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:

(a)	whether 25 cities and archaeological monuments have been identified to provide free Wi-Fi services;

(b) 	if so, the details of the cities and sites thereof along with the criteria adopted for selection of such cities; State and city-wise;

(c) 	the expenditure likely to be incurred in this regard along with the service providers selected for the purpose;

(d)	 whether the Union Government has received proposals from State Governments including Delhi to initiate Wi-Fi facility and if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the government thereto, State-wise; and

(e) 	whether any security concern is associated with it and if so, the details thereof and the action taken by the Government in this regard?

ANSWER

**THE MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY**

**(SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)**

(a) to (c)  Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) informed the Department of Telecommunications that they have decided to upgrade 25 monuments under its protection to the status of ‘Adarsh Smarak’ (Model Monuments). ASI informed that one of the facilities that these model monuments would provide to the visitors/tourists is ‘free wi-fi’ in the premises of the monument. Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is providing the requisite technical support to the Ministry of Culture. A list of Model Monuments as received from  ASI is given at **Annexure-I.**

**Contd..2/-**

**-2-**

Out of 25 locations, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has identified eight (08) Archaeological Monuments and RailTel has identified 03 locations for providing wi-fi services at no cost to Government. Details of locations are at **Annexure-II.** BSNL is providing free wi-fi service for first thirty (30) minutes in a day for maximum three occasions in a month. For other locations where funding for wi-fi service provision may be required, DoT has provided draft Expression of Interest (EOI) document to ASI. ASI will float EOIs for discovering the Implementation Partner along with funding required through a competitive process.

(d) 	No proposal has been received so far from the State Governments including the Government of Delhi.

(e) 	Security requirements are taken care of the concerned service providers as per licensing terms and conditions.

**Annexure-I**

| **List of 25 Monuments**   |                                |                  |
|----------------------------|--------------------------------|------------------|
| **S.N**                    | **Monuments**                  | **State**        |
|                            | Leh Palace, Leh                | Jammu & Kashmir  |
|                            | Humayun Tomb                   | Delhi            |
|                            | Qutub Complex                  | Delhi            |
|                            | Hazardwari Palace, Murshidabad | West Bengal      |
|                            | Red Fort                       | Delhi            |
|                            | Shore Temple, Mahabalipuram    | Tamil Nadu       |
|                            | Elephanta Caves, Mumbai        | Maharashtra      |
|                            | Taj Mahal, Agra                | Uttar Pradesh    |
|                            | Fatehpur Sikri, Agra           | Uttar Pradesh    |
|                            | Kumbhalgarh Fort               | Rajasthan        |
|                            | Rani Ki Vav                    | Gujarat          |
|                            | Hampi                          | Karnataka        |
|                            | Jageshwar Temple               | Uttarakhand      |
|                            | Sravasti                       | Uttar Pradesh    |
|                            | Sarnath                        | Uttar Pradesh    |
|                            | Vaishali-Kohua                 | Bihar            |
|                            | Khajuraho                      | Madhya Pradesh   |
|                            | Mandu                          | Madhya Pradesh   |
|                            | Martand Temple                 | Jammu & Kashmir  |
|                            | Thanjaur - Brihadeshwar        | Tamil Nadu       |
|                            | St. Anglo Fort                 | Kerala           |
|                            | Masrur Rock Cut Temple         | Himachal Pradesh |
|                            | Rang Ghar, Sibagar             | Assam            |
|                            | Konark Temple                  | Odisha           |
|                            | Daulatabad Fort                | Maharashtra      |

**Annexure-II**

**List of ASI monuments identified to provide Wi-fi facility**

| **Telecom Circle**   | **City**   | **Locations/Site**             | **Service Provider**   |
|----------------------|------------|--------------------------------|------------------------|
| Chennai              | Chennai    | Shore Temple, Mahabalipuram    | BSNL                   |
| Karnataka            | Bangalore  | Hampi                          | BSNL                   |
| Madhya Pradesh       | Chhatarpur | Khajuraho Western Temple Group | BSNL                   |
| Odisha               | Puri       | Konark Temple                  | BSNL                   |
| Tamil Nadu           | Thanjavur  | Brihadeshwar Temple            | BSNL                   |
| Uttar Pradesh (East) | Varanasi   | Sarnath                        | BSNL                   |
| Uttar Pradesh (West) | Agra       | Taj Mahal                      | BSNL                   |
| Uttar Pradesh (West) | Agra       | Fathepur Sikri                 | BSNL                   |
| Delhi                | Delhi      | Red Fort                       | RailTel                |
| Delhi                | Delhi      | Humayaun Tomb                  | RailTel                |
| Delhi                | Delhi      | Qutub Minar                    | RailTel                |

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