Mumbai Metro Aqua Line: Wi-Fi for UPI, but no internet connectivity leaves commuters' problem unsolved

Passengers travelling on the Aqua Line Metro which connects Jogeshwari East to Cuffe Parade have expressed mixed reactions to the recently launched WiFi services at the concourse level of stations While the facility is being welcomed for easing the ticketbooking process mdash especially via UPI mdash commuters remain concerned about the lack of connectivity inside the underground train sections The Aqua Linersquos WiFi service provided by Microscan Infocommtech Pvt Ltd a vendor for MMRC has enabled passengers to connect their smartphones to the internet and use online payment platforms to purchase ticketsBooking made easierFor many daily commuters especially students and officegoers the ability to pay via UPI has been a welcome relief ldquoI used to carry a Metro card but it was frustrating when the balance was low and I had no option but to make cash payments Sometimes I run out of cash and there is no ATM at every station But now that the WiFi service is available I can make payments and get my card recharged easilyrdquo said Narendra Gawde who travels from Dadar to Cuffe Parade ldquoIt just saves so much timerdquoBut therersquos a glitchHowever the service comes with a catch users are required to download a specific app mdash MetroConnect3 mdash to access the WiFi network For passengers unfamiliar with the app or those hesitant to install yet another application on their devices this has proved to be a hurdle ldquoI wasnrsquot aware I needed to download MetroConnect3 until I asked the Metro staff why the WiFi wasnrsquot working There were no clear instructions at the station eitherrdquo said Abhishek Mystry a firsttime user of the Aqua LineStating that it would have been easier if the WiFi connection were an open one Nikita Sharma who commutes daily between Santacruz and Churchgate told midday ldquoWhatrsquos needed is a public WiFi system akin to that at railway stations where you just need to sign in instead of downloading an app Not everyone wishes to download another app when they have multiple ones alreadyrdquoConnectivity challengeMeanwhile commuters continue to raise serious concerns about the complete lack of internet or mobile network connectivity once they board the train ldquoOnce you leave the concourse and get on the train itrsquos a complete blackout There is no mobile signal no WiFi nothing It feels very isolating There is no way to connect with any family member in case of emergencies Also we cannot attend any office meetings remotely and have to wait at ground level till the meeting ends I am an outsider and my family members are always worried whenever I leave for work I have to ensure that I inform them as soon as I get out of the Metro train so that they are relieved said Tina Jain a PricewaterhouseCoopers employee who travels from Santacruz Metro to Worli daily Many users have voiced concerns that in case of an emergency there is no way to contact the outside world ldquoThe inability to make a call or even send a message inside the train makes the commute feel riskyrdquo said Sukumar Keni who attends a college in South Mumbai ldquoEven though we now have WiFi at the ticketing level whatrsquos the use if we canrsquot use it during the journeyrdquoWhatsApp woesEven at the concourse level where WiFi is supposed to function several passengers claimed essential services such as WhatsApp calls or other internetbased communication platforms donrsquot work reliably a claim confirmed by this reporter ldquoI was connected to the WiFi but my WhatsApp call didnrsquot go through It kept disconnecting or failing to connect entirelyrdquo said Jyoti Sharma a commuter at the Jagannath Shankar Sheth Metro station Thatrsquos not true WiFi access mdash especially when voice calling over data is such a basic need todayATM availabilityAs midday travelled via the Aqua Line on Wednesday it was observed ATMs were being installed at certain stations Engineers at these spots mentioned that commuters could start withdrawing money within a couple of days ldquoItrsquos good that the machines are being installed Because sometimes all that helps you in a situation are traditional ways of paymentrdquo said JainWhat works and what does notgtgt Vi postpaid network works between Aarey JVLR and Worli Metro stationsgtgt Vi prepaid network however does not work even in that stretchgtgt No other networks work on the entire stretchgtgt Vi postpaid does not work between Acharya Atre Chowk and Cuffe Parade Metro stationsHow to use the WiFigtgt Install the MetroConnect3 application on your phone before entering any Metro station on the Aqua Linegtgt Register yourself by entering your details such as name email address and phone numbergtgt Switch on your WFi option on the phone and select lsquoMetroConnect3rsquogtgt Open the Metroconnect3 app go to profile and tap on lsquoConnect to WiFirsquo optiongtgt Once connected you can buy a ticket using a vending machine or by making a UPI payment at the ticket counter