Weird, Pune is yet to be wired

PUNE: Eight months after wi-fi was launched with much fanfare in Pune, touted as the first city in the country to go wire-free, accessing internet on their laptops sitting in a park or on the sidewalk is still a dream for many a Puneites. That is because the project is moving at a snail's pace and has failed to take off as promised.
When the service was launched by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) in collaboration with technology advisors, Intel, and service provider, Microsense, in early April this year, the then municipal commissioner Nitin Kareer had said that in the first phase, around 20 sq km expanse of the city, including Deccan Gymkhana, Aundh, Baner, Shivajinagar and Model Colony, would be made wire-free in four to six months' time.And the entire city was to be 'unwired' within 12 to 18 months.
But the service is yet to be available anywhere, except Sambhaji Park where it was first launched.
"The project is not going ahead as per schedule, as there is not sufficient demand from the industry in the other areas earmarked for going wire-free. Their support is necessary to make the project financially viable and sustainable," municipal commissioner Pravinsinh Pardeshi said, explaining the delay.
"We have had a few meetings with the Confederation of Indian Industry to connect Microsense with the local companies operating in these areas," Pardeshi said.
Meanwhile, it is learnt from a senior official of Microsense that the wi-fi equipment is in place and is being tested on the Jungli Maharaj road and the stretch from Sambhaji Park to Deccan Gymkhana bus terminus on the road would be wi-fi from Wednesday.
Also, two other areas — Dhole Patil road and Bund Garden road, which were originally not included in phase 1, will be wire-free by the end of this week, followed by Aundh and Baner, the official said.
The time-frame for unwiring all areas promised under phase 1 would be by end of this month, he said.
Microsense managing director S. Kailasanathan is abroad and was unavailable for comment on the issue.
According to A. Galinde, chief accountant of PMC, the entire city is expected to be unwired within 18 months from the date of the launch, remaining well within the original schedule.