It’s been six months that the Delhi government announced 500 free Wi-Fi zones in East Delhi, but so far, not even one has been set up. It’s not for nothing that the claims are now being dubbed "Hi-Fi" by frustrated residents.
At a press conference on June 24, the Delhi Development Commission (DDC), an advisory body of the Delhi government, had announced that 500 locations in East Delhi would be made high-speed Wi-Fi zones by the end of 2016. In fact, it was one of the key poll promises of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party.
City Spidey spoke to Nagender Sharma, Delhi government spokesperson, to get a clearer picture of recent developments. He said, “There are procedures that need to be followed. The IT department is working with the DDC and will soon have a final decision.”
Surprisingly, according to Ashish Khetan, DDC chairperson, tendering was supposed to begin by November this year.
Residents of East Delhi, however, didn’t seem too hopeful, as City Spidey found out.
BS Vohra, president of East Delhi RWA Federation, complained, “The residents feel cheated! Forget about Wi-Fi, there’s a water crisis to be dealt with and we have a perennial garbage problem... There are many such issues that need to be resolved on a priority basis.”
MM Khatri, secretary of the federation of housing societies in IP Extension, said, “The residents are not banking on the government’s shaky promise of free Wi-Fi. But if promises were made, they should have been kept.”
