Passengers using the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) services will soon be able to make use of free Wi-Fi while travelling as well as at bus stations.
- Total number of buses: 8,800
- Around 800 are Corona, Volvo, and Rajahamsa buses
- Enabled with Wi-Fi: 1,540 buses, 80 of them Volvo and Rajahamsa
The corporation has signed a three-year contract with a Pune-based company to provide this facility that will allow users to download up to 10 MB of data daily. The service has taken off on a pilot basis on 1,540 buses; barring 80, all are ordinary Karnataka Sarige buses.
“This was done deliberately as we often hear that all the good measures are introduced only for Volvo bus passengers. Of the 8,800 buses in our fleet, only around 800 are the Corona, Volvo and Rajahamsa buses,” a KSRTC official said. So far, around 10,000 passengers have availed the facility.
Creating Wi-Fi hotspots on buses is not difficult, officials said, adding that wiring and other infrastructure was being integrated into the buses. “All the 156 bus stations — from Chamarajanagar to Davangere — will be Wi-Fi enabled. The entire project will be completed by March,” an official said.
So how much is the KSRTC spending on the project? Nothing, according to officials. “There is zero investment from the KSRTC’s side and zero cost for the passenger as well. In fact, the company we have given the contract to is paying us ₹153 daily per bus. They will get their revenue from advertisements,” an official said.
