Har-ki-Pauri in Haridwar, where hundreds of pilgrims will converge for the Ardh Kumbh, which is starting on January 14, has been transformed into a Wi-Fi zone. The first 15 minutes of use shall be free of cost and thereafter, depending on need, one can do instant recharge.

Sri Ganga Sabha, which looks after the upkeep of Har-ki-Pauri, felt the need to be a part of “digital India”. President of the Sri Ganga Sabha Puroshotam Sharma Gandhiwadi said, “The drive was much needed as we want to spread our mythology among the digitally advanced population of the country. Also, it is our quest to promote Vedic culture in the globe, which in recent years has shown great interest in Hindu mythology. Now, all those spiritually hungry people can see Ganga ‘aarti’ live from any part of the world through Wi-Fi.”

In the coming months, the sabha is planning to implement a few more innovative steps to “keep step with the rapidly changing developing world”.

According to officials of the Ganga Sabha, security and safety were the major concerns due to which in the past they were reluctant to allow installation of the Wi-Fi facility in the Har-ki-Pauri premises.

“Once we got an assurance from BSNL that their Wi-Fi will not create any untoward environment and breach security, only then did we give them the go-ahead. We have told them that we will stop the facility if we see any kind of misuse of Wi-Fi by the people,” said Purushotam.

Currently, the department has installed nine axis points at Har-ki-Pauri. Each point covers a 200-meter area of the ghat.

Government-owned BSNL said the agency will extend the facility across all the ghats of Haridwar soon. “It’s a New Year gift for the pilgrims visiting Haridwar. We will see the response of people and gradually extend the facility across all the ghats of Haridwar and thereafter in Rishikesh,” said Isam Singh, general manager, BSNL, Haridwar.

It is expected that in the coming days, Mansa Devi and Chamunda Devi temples on the hilltop will also be covered by Wi-Fi.