Piyush Goyal: Railways to enable WiFi services inside trains

Indian Railways is eyeing to provide WiFi services onboard trains for its next milestone. Union Minister Piyush Goyal, who is on a visit to Stockholm, said that railways will provide new services in next four to four-and-a-half years. According to Piyush Goyal, as of w, over 5150 railway stations across India are enabled with WiFi services. However, railways aims to cover all 6500 stations by 2020-end and provide WiFi services.

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Railways to provide WiFi inside trains

 "We are trying to provide WiFi services at all 6,500 stations by end of next year," Goyal told press.

When Goyal was asked about WiFi services inside trains he said that installing services onboard trains would be complicated considering complicated techlogy subjects and barriers that follow. He also stated that doing so will require large amount of investment. Goyal also added that foreign expertise will need to be considered on matter.  

"It is a more complicated techlogy subject. Giving WiFi in running trains requires investment. Towers need to be put and re has to be equipment inside trains. In this, we might have to bring in foreign techlogy and investors," added Goyal

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Goyal however, talking about benefits of an enabled WiFi service inside train said that it will also be a valuable addition in terms of security.

"But it will help a lot in terms of security as CCTVs would be re in every train compartment and its live feed will go to police station. signaling system will work in a better manner through WiFi facility. In next four or four-and-a-half years we will start this facility." said Goyal

Station modernization with private players

Goyal, during his interaction with media also said that railways are undergoing modernization with help of private players. 

"We are doing station modernization with help of private players, like we did in Bhopal for instance where a private company has modernised entire station and it is near in completion. NBCC is working in 12-13 location to modernise station and simultaneously to develop complexes for housing, commercial activity, shopping malls in a cross-subsidy model, once this model becomes successful re will be faster rollout across country," he said

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Railways will be 100% Electric

Goyal also said that government is planning to segregate station modernization with monetization of land. "re are lots of possibilities to involve private sector in se activities. re are several locations across country where re will be huge demand of Railway land. We have planned to use Railway land for solar installation in a big way. Under leadership of our Prime Minister, we want to make Railways world's first zero-emission Railway," he said.

minister also mentioned about railways going 100% electric in next four to five years. "We are also planning for industrial parks on Railway lands. It's a new area and we are trying to locate certain parcels of land that Railways owns, but does t need requirement which can be at some st become industrial parks and become generators of number of jobs and working opportunities while adding to ecomic activity of India," he said.

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(With ANI Inputs)