GCC to Install 120 New Free Wi-Fi Smart Poles Across Chennai Beaches

The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has commenced efforts to reboot its citywide free Wi-Fi initiative by repairing defunct smart poles and installing nearly 120 new ones across Marina Beach, Besant Nagar, Thiruvanmiyur, Neelankarai, and Thiruvottiyur beaches, as well as select parks and playgrounds.

GCC Commissioner G S Sameeran stated that the existing infrastructure would be retained wherever technically feasible. The project is being implemented through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds, with internet service providers (ISPs) agreeing to offer free Wi-Fi access. While the previous rollout launched in 2021 was executed by ELCOT with civic facilitation, the GCC is directly executing the project this time.

Under the new plan, 50 smart poles will be installed at Marina Beach, 25 each at Besant Nagar and Thiruvanmiyur beaches, and 10 each at Neelankarai and Thiruvottiyur beaches. Existing smart poles at Marina are spaced roughly 70 to 80 metres apart between the Labour statue and the lighthouse, with new poles likely to be placed within the sandy stretch of the beach.

An official from the corporation's electrical department noted that work to identify non-functional poles has already begun. Out of 27 existing smart poles at Marina Beach, at least eight are currently non-functional, with repairs being handled by respective ISPs. To prevent misuse, officials stated that daily usage limits will not be extended beyond 45 minutes per user ID, compared to the current 30-minute limit.

The original initiative was launched under the previous government in 2021 to create 500 access points across 49 locations, but the target was never met. Many poles subsequently stopped functioning, with bird nests spotted on unused devices at Marina Beach. Local vendors and visitors reported that poor connectivity speeds and weekend network overloads frequently caused issues, sometimes preventing digital payments during crowded hours.