Kochi: The District e-Governance Society (DeGS) has asked the Kochi corporation, district panchayat and local self-governments to identify 150 locations for providing free public Wi-Fi hotspots in the district by Saturday so that the project can be implemented by this month itself. However, most of the agencies, including Kochi corporation, are yet to identify the locations even on the eve of the target date set by the Kerala State IT mission. “Bus stands, public parks, tourist destinations, government colleges and universities, hospitals, civil stations and libraries should be considered on a priority basis. The places selected must be those where a good number of concurrent internet users is expected. Each hotspot will have coverage of 100-200 metres based on technical feasibility,” a circular issued by DeGS to the respective secretaries on March 20 said.
“We’ve set the March 25 deadline so that the sites suggested can be consolidated. Then we’ll refer the same to the respective RTOs (regional transport offices) and the tourism department to know whether they have any objections. Also, the service provider should be finalised before the implementation can start,” said a senior official of IT mission However, mayor Soumini Jain said she was yet to get any intimation on the same. The corporation secretary too said she was on leave last week and that the same was yet to be taken up.
Over a year ago, the corporation in association with BSNL and Quadgen Wireless Solutions had launched free Wi-Fi hotspots at 10 locations in the city -- city corporation office, Subhash Park, Marine Drive, district court complex, High Court, Durbar Hall Road, Edappally junction, Kaloor bus stand, Mattancherry and Fort Kochi. However, a recent order by the state local self- government department has taken away the power of civic bodies to take up such projects alone. The much-hyped public Wi-Fi hotspot project of the state government has been delayed in all districts. The government had accorded sanction to the state IT mission to set up 1,000 public Wi-Fi hotspots to enable the citizens and tourists to avail of free internet for a fixed period.
