Picture landing in the economic capital of India, Mumbai, and not being able to book a taxi, make a call to your hotel, or even send a message. The truth is, this is no longer a hypothetical situation, but a reality for passengers using the newly opened Navi Mumbai International Airport.
Although this is a high-profile infrastructure project, the reality is that, as a basic need for travel in the 21st century, NMIA is still grappling with the need for basic internet connectivity.
People using Jio, Airtel, and Vodafone Idea networks have all shown poor network connectivity in the airport. The individual cannot make calls, mobile data services are down, and even the necessary apps are disabled. Being a speed-conscious and efficient city, it has left all passengers speechless with this poor network performance in the airport.
The connectivity crisis has also been witnessed in Mumbai’s newly opened Aqua Line of the metro network. In this case, patients have also reported inadequate or no cellular network.
Media sources suggest that Vodafone Idea and BSNL are struggling to offer some network access, but Jio and Airtel networks are not available in many places. Two major infrastructure projects, launched with a great deal of publicity, are struggling with the aforementioned digital constraint.
Though the problem appears to be the same, the circumstances differ.
Now, in respect of Aqua Line, it is being reported that third-party agencies were charging excessive amounts of fees in order to allow their network below just 20 feet of the earth. Although numerous meetings and negotiations were conducted, the matter is still pending, as reported by the telecom companies.
The situation at Navi Mumbai International Airport, however, is complicated.
It is also being reported that the airport operator is unwilling to give telecom service providers permission to establish their own cell phone networks. Instead, they are being asked to access the cell phone network of the airport operator.
Telecom operators claim that the amount levied is prohibitively expensive.
According to The Hindu, the amount the airport operator allegedly demanded each telecom company is close to ₹92 lakh a month. For four operators, this translates to an annual charge of ₹44.1 crore, an amount considered unrealistic by many.
But it’s much more than that, as it has been deeply linked to important infrastructure necessities, including electricity, water, and transport. The absence of mobile network coverage directly influences safety, direction, payments, emergency services, and ensuring business continuity.
International travelers, too, take note of first impressions. And for a city promoting itself as an international financial and business center, such discrepancies are rather embarrassing.
With the ever-increasing development of its infrastructure in terms of airport development, metro networks, and smart transport networks in the city of Mumbai, it has become the need of the hour for the concerned departments and telecommunication companies to work in tandem with each other in order to ensure that even world.
