6,000 railway stations to become Wi-Fi enabled: Goyal
New Delhi, Aug 28 : Stressing the need for high-speed Internet connectivity in the remotest parts of the country, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday said that about 6,000 railway stations will be Wi-Fi enabled in six to eight months.
"We believe that if we have to leverage digital technology, the basic thing is to ensure access to technology in the remotest part of the country," Goyal said at the 'Smart Railways Conclave' organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry here.
He said that the Railways is working on a programme to ensure last-mile connectivity, wherever there were no fibre optics network.
"We are hopeful that in the next six to eight months, all railway stations other than halt stations -- about 6,000 stations -- will be Wi-Fi enabled," the Minister said.
"We are focusing on the implementation of smart projects. We will have to start thinking, planning, and working smartly. I think that's the change that you must have seen in the last four years."
The Minister stressed on the punctuality of trains and said that between April 1 and August 28, punctuality had improved to 73-74 per cent due to installation of data loggers at interchange points to ensure computer-generated timings instead of the station master recording the timings.
"We are working on putting GPS on every locomotive so that we will have every train marked on mobile phone, knowing exactly where they are," he said.
"We are looking at electrification in a big way, which will save $2 billion every year, which otherwise I would have to charge the passengers. With efficient Railways, we won't have to burden the poor," he said.
Two knowledge papers on 'FICCI-EY Report on Make in India in Railways Sector' and 'FICCI-AT Kearney Report on Technology: Transforming Railways Transportation' were released on the occasion.
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Over 1 lakh students appear for NEET across TN
Chennai (PTI): About 1.4 lakh students appeared for the NEET 2026 exam for admission to medical degree courses across 31 centres in Tamil Nadu on Sunday.
Students claimed that the exam paper was easier than the previous year.
Organised by the National Testing Agency (NTA), 22.80 lakh students had registered for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) undergraduate exam nationwide.
NTA sources said that CCTV surveillance was installed at all examination centres, with feeds linked to centralised control rooms.
In view of the large candidate volume and prevailing summer conditions, the NTA ensured reliable power back-up, including generators at all centres, to ensure candidate comfort during the exam. Also, drinking water and on-site medical support were provided to students.
The sources further said that no malpractices were reported, especially in Chennai. The results of NEET are expected to be declared in June, 2026.
