Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday launched free Wi-Fi services in Lucknow. With this launch the nawabi city of Lucknow becomes the first non-metro city to boast a free Wi-Fi facility in India. To kick-start services, he clicked his selfie and uploaded picture on service provider Reliance Jio-chat application

Lucknow’s main market Hazratganj area was the venue of the Wi-Fi services launch, which will be available free of cost for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, the user will be charged.  The free Wi-Fi area will cover a 100-metre radius on both sides of the MG Marg, from GPO crossing to Parivartan Chowk. The WiFi services will give high-speed data connectivity to around 1,700 people at a time.

To access Wi-Fi in Hazratganj, one has to type in a 'one-time password' (OTP) on the handset. The network will automatically log the user out after every 20 minutes and the password has to be re-entered to access free internet. An OTP will be valid for 24 hours, after which a new OTP will be generated.

"The Wi-Fi internet service provided by Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited will not be limited to Hazratganj but will extend to other parts of Lucknow and across state. We plan to provide the service at all prominent tourist places of UP," the young chief minister said.

He promised that the Wi-Fi services will be 4G in the near future and will compliment the free laptop scheme of the government wherein even students from villages and poor families will make use of the internet through facilities extended by the government.

Akhilesh Yadav launched the free Wi-Fi service along with a plethora of other schemes including high mast LED lights, modular public conveniences and lighting for Shaheed Path ring road in Lucknow during the Ganjing carnival, a weekly carnival to boost public participation, tourism and trade in the Hazratganj area.