Commuters will be able to enjoy Wi-Fi in Kochi Metro trains and stations, what with a dozen bidders in the fray to provide the facility.
While it was estimated that the network can be availed free of cost for first 30 minutes, official sources said that it may be available for longer durations. The facility can be availed only in ticketing areas, meaning only commuters who take the ticket and enter a metro station’s paid area can avail of this.
This makes Kochi Metro the second after Delhi Metro to extend the facility to commuters.
Bidding begins
The facility will be readied in a month or so after the metro’s expected commissioning in April. The bidding process is on and issues like it having same frequency as the metro’s communication-based train control (CBTC) system are being sorted out, they said.
The KMRL had earlier made available Wi-Fi connectivity in a couple of low-floor inter-district buses, to further the cause of seamless inter-modal connectivity between public transportation systems.
Kudumbasree workforce
The metro agency has also begun training Kudumbasree members who were short-listed for carrying out house keeping, customer relations and other duties at metro stations. “They will be imparted three weeks training on soft skills and the tasks they ought to perform,” sources said.
LGBT employees
On whether members of LGBT community too will be trained and posted in metro stations as was announced a few months ago, they said that this will be done at a later stage.
