Free WiFi at New Bus Park elates travelers, demand for similar service outside valley

Achyut Regmi/RSS

Kathmandu, Nov 10: The installation of free WiFi service at New Bus Park, Gongabu has elated the people leaving the Kathmandu Valley for different parts of the country by bus.

Chandra KC, who arrived at New Bus Park to purchase a ticket for his travel to Gulmi, said, "The free WiFi service won the customers' heart and eased transport. Such service needs expansion in other places outside the Kathmandu Valley."

Similarly, Bhup Prasad Bhusal was happy to find internet connection available free of cost for the first time at New Bus Park. He was seeking service for travelling to Dang district. Bhusal also had a similar recommendation as that of KC so that even those outside the federal capital could enjoy easy services for travel.

The government has done wonderful by ensuring free WiFi, for it has facilitated customers tremendously, an employee at ticket counter, Bachchu Ram Bhatta, observed. 

Dipak Dhakal, originally from Dhading district, also appreciated the government's work that cheered service seekers.

A bus entrepreneur Ramesh Bhatta, however, said sustainability of such service is more important than launch.

Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Jagdish Kharel, had signed the first decision upon his assumption of office on September 22 on expansion of free internet in significant public places. The free internet connectivity was materialized as per the Minister's decision. He had inaugurated the service on November 5.

With this facility in place, the customers can purchase bus tickets using digital gadgets. They are provided with the free internet for 90 minutes at a time. 

Some 700 to 800 public buses are operated from New Bus Park every day. Among these, 400 are large buses, 150 micro buses and over 200 local buses. The local buses are operated in the Kathmandu Valley.

It is said nearly 12,000 to 15,000 people come and go by the New Bus Park each day.