Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, May 13: The airports authority of India (AAI) is all set to roll out wi-fi internet service at the domestic terminal T1 of Biju Patnaik International Airport by June 1.
The service would commence in view of the July 18 Nabakalebar festival when millions of devotees and tourists are expected to reach Bhubaneswar and then proceed to Puri from other states and abroad. The airport has posted an annual passenger influx of 1.5 million in the just concluded fiscal.
The AAI has roped in Bharti Infratel to materialise the project which is conducting trials for wi-fi internet having a bandwidth of 10 mega byte per second (mpbs) at terminal T1.
BPIA director Sharad Kumar Wednesday told Orissa POST the initial 15-minute wi-fi service would be free of cost and after that it would be chargeable. “Tariff structure of using internet facility at T1 is being discussed with the firm,” he said.
“Trials are in their last leg and would be completed in a fortnight,” said sales and marketing head (Orissa) of Bharti Infratel Shubashish Rath.
Notably, the number of flights has gone up from 15 to 20 after low-cost carrier IndiGo recently launched new flights to Kolkata and New Delhi while Bangalore-based Flyeasy is likely to introduce two daily Bhubaneswar-Bangalore flights from June-end. The introduction of more flights implies increased passenger traffic.
Sources said Rs 20 lakh has been spent to create internet infrastructure at T1 which handles 800 passengers at a time. Terminal T1 has daily passenger influx of around 4500 (arrival and departure).
Notably, international airports which are being managed by private operators like Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi and Mumbai airports are charging internet user fee from the flyers.
“The service would benefit passengers but it should have been launched long ago,” said Kabir Singh, a flyer.
KIIT University student Pranati Kapoor said wi-fi facility is needed at Bhubaneswar airport which is state’s only operational airport. “I hope, we get it free for a few months to woo the passengers,” she said.