Porn sites blocked for Wi-Fi users at Patna Junction

PATNA: Railways on Monday blocked porn sites for the free Wi-Fi users at Patna Junction. In a recent survey conducted by RailTel, Patna Junction had topped the list of stations with maximum internet searches for porn sites.

East Central Railway (ECR) CPRO Arvind Rajak said RailTel has started the process of blocking all sleazy sites at Patna Junction, which has free Wi-Fi facility. He said the very purpose of providing free Wi-Fi services at all major stations falling under the ECR jurisdiction is to ensure that passengers could know the exact position and movement of trains running in the zone. "Unfortunately, the facility was being used for some 'other' purposes," he said.

According to sources, though Patna Junction had gained notoriety for maximum searches of porn sites, railways intends to block all sleazy sites at Hajipur and Mughalsarai stations which have free Wi-Fi facility. Gaya Junction will soon have this service but railways would ensure that there was no access to porn sites at different railway stations with free Wi-Fi, sources said.

Wi-Fi facility was introduced at Patna Junction this year. RailTel is providing 1 GB free Wi -Fi service to each visitor to Patna Junction, sources said adding that railways has decided to increase it up to 10 GB due to slow speed of the internet service.

A Railway Board official said the ministry is likely to review the proposal to provide free Wi-Fi service on all premier trains like Rajdhani and Shatabdi. Misuse of this facility has compelled the railway ministry to give a second thought to the programme, he said adding that a final decision was yet to be taken.

Sources said railways intends to provide free Wi-Fi facility at 100 major stations by this year-end. But railways has set the target of providing free Wi-Fi facility at 400 major stations across the country in three years from now. Railways would thus emerge as the largest provider of free Wi-Fi service to public in the world, sources said adding that Wi-Fi service was commissioned by RailTel in association with Google.