The internet is an invaluable resource. Facebook has already launched an ambitious plan to connect the rest of the world. One of its competitors is taking a new, practical step. Thanks to Google, the modern world will join hands with an historic means of transport in India. Google announced that it will install wi-fi in train stations across the country. Aiming at 400 train stations initially, it will be one of the largest wi- fi distribution projects in the world. Upon completion, the information super-highway will come to India’s historic rail network. Sudar Pichai, the Indian-born Google CEO revealed that the connection will be fast. In fact, he stated, it would be even faster than most internet available in India. “Travellers can see a high definition video while they are waiting, search destinations, or download a book or new game for the journey ahead,” Pichai announced. By end of 2016, India’s one hundred busiest stations will be enrolled in the service.
This will provide high-speed internet access to the 10 million people who pass through them each day. Initially, these services will be provided free of charge. India’s railway network covers the entire length and breadth of the country. From bustling cities, to towering mountainsides, it covers a total length of 63,140 kilometres and transports over 5 billion passengers. The Google project aims to attract more people to the online network, serving also as an ad for the company. According to a study last year by the McKinsey & Company, there are a billion Indians without access to internet. With Google’s new initiative, the number of unconnected Indians could soon fall rapidly.
