Chennai enables free Wi-Fi at 49 locations under Smart City project

Smartphone users in Chennai can now use free Wi-Fi for 30 minutes at 49 locations with the installation of Smart Poles by the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) under the Smart City project.

The GCC on Tuesday released the list of locations where the Smart Poles that provide free Wi-Fi connectivity have been installed. Smartphone users will have to register from their smartphone to get an OTP to use the facility, the GCC said.

Eight smart poles have been installed at the Marina Beach at various locations, while people can access free Wi-Fi at 11 locations in the shopping district of T. Nagar and adjoining Venkatanarayana Road. Three Smart Poles have been installed at the beach in Tiruvanmiyur on the East Coast Road.

Officials said people can use free Wi-Fi for 30 minutes. “We are implementing the project in 49 places in the first phase. We will expand the facilities to other areas gradually. This is a scheme being implemented under the Smart City project,” a senior GCC official said.

The GCC has built a Command Centre and Control Room to monitor to coordinate and oversee various projects being implemented in the city. While Smart City is a project funded by the Union Government, the state administration has also announced Singara (Beautiful) Chennai 2.0 to give a makeover to the city.

As part of its efforts to beautify the city, the GCC is undertaking a drive to remove posters from walls across the city. As of August 16, a total of 1.11 lakh posters were removed from the city.