India’s Tech Hub Bangalore Gets Metro Rail, Complete with On-Board Wi-Fi

Photo: nytimes.com

India’s self professed Silicon Valley, Bangalore, has something to cheer about. The technology hub is now the third Indian city to have its own Metro rail system. The new transportation system is expected to bring a breath of fresh air to otherwise congested city.

BMRCL, the corporation behind the Metro rail system, collaborated with Mitsubishi Electric Company and Hyundai Rotem Korea for manufacturing the world class coaches. Remarkably, the Bangalore Metro trains come with on-board Wi-Fi access, and it will also be getting NFC payment service soon.

Initially the system is will cover only a four miles stretch, from Byappanahalli to MG Road. By 2014, BMRCL is planning to extend the reach of Metro to cover 42.3 Km area.

Though the Bangalore Metro is based on Delhi model of intra-city transportation system, but with on-board Wi-Fi connectivity, Bangalore has gone a step further than its mentor. Commuters can use their laptops and smartphones while traveling, which will be a welcome convenience. Wi-Fi connectivity is certainly going to be one of its main selling points, as most of the major metro systems including the London Underground are still in the trial phase for providing this feature.

The metro will soon be launching a NFC payment service as well. Earlier this year, it collaborated with State Bank of India for a NFC payment gateway. The service is expected to go operational soon and will let the commuters pay their fare with their smartcards.

While the trains have been welcomed with a warm enthusiasm from the general public, the project itself seems to be marred with inefficiencies and lack of planning. The first phase of the implementation was at least a year behind schedule. It highlights the problems faced by hi-tech companies in India. Most of the time, such things are caused by infrastructural bottlenecks and red tape, which is still rampant in India.

Nevertheless, the trains are now up and running as Bangalore citizens showed their unbridled enthusiasm at yesterday’s inauguration of the service. BMRCL, chose to color its trains with pretty pink, while choosing the same hue for its workers’ uniforms, providing a little dash of color to an otherwise drab workday mornings.

[Source: TOI, Photo: NY Times]