The Hazratganj main bazaar in the Capital of Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow, has become country’s first market in a non-metro to offer unlimited free Wi-Fi access to the citizens. The Wi-Fi service was launched by the State Chief Minister, Akhilesh Yadav, during an event called ‘Ganjing Carnival’ in the heart of city. This service will enable people to use internet service free for 20 minutes every day.
The Wi-Fi service, which is brought by Reliance Jio on request of the UP Government, will give high-speed data connectivity to around 1,700 people at a time in Hazratganj. It will cover a 100-metre radius area on both sides of the MG Marg, from GPO crossing to Parivartan Chowk. The Wi-Fi, based on Fibre Optics, would provide 5 to 10 Mbps data speed to users.
Speaking about the Wi-Fi service, CM Yadav said that high-speed Wi-Fi will enable people to experience seamless connectivity and have a technological edge. The service will initially be offered for free to individual customers. In addition, Reliance Jio will also roll out the fastest speed internet service—4G very soon in the city.
Yadav added that there is a famous saying: ‘double the speed, triple the economy’. “This is exactly what our government is doing for the State. Our projects like Lucknow metro and Agra Expressway are also being executed at a record speed,” he said.
One has to type in a ‘one-time password’’ (OTP) on the handset to ensure secure access Wi-Fi in Hazratganj. Since a session longs for 20 minutes, the network will automatically expire after every 20 minutes and log the user out. The password has to be re-entered to access free internet. An OTP will be valid for 24 hours, after which a new OTP will be generated.
