The next time tourists visit Mahabodhi Mahavihara, they need not worry using up their data plan to send images because there will soon be a wi-fi facility near where Buddha attained enlightenment.

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has installed the equipment around the shrine and tested the service on Saturday. Sources said Union telecom minister Ravi Shankar Prasad would officially inaugurate the service soon.

The World Heritage Mahabodhi Mahavihara will become the first shrine in the state to provide such a facility to its visitors.

"Bodhgaya Temple Management Committee has provided BSNL space to install the routers around the BTMC office," its secretary Nangzey Dorjee told The Telegraph on Sunday. "The wi-fi facility will be available on the red pedestal stretch towards north of the shrine and around the BTMC office in a radius of 100m. The service would not be available at the Kalchakra ground, around 200m northwest of the Mahabodhi."

Apart from assisting domestic tourists, the wi-fi service would be a great help for visitors from outside the country. Right now, to remain connected with their family and friends back home, foreign tourists need to purchase mobile SIM cards of local service providers with verification documents and identity proofs - a process that takes a lot of time.

But this wi-fi facility will allow the visitors to be easily connected with their near and dear ones from the Mahavihara area from their laptops or phones.

The facility is being provided in public-private partnership mode. BSNL and a private company will provide the service under which tourists will get 15 minutes of free wi-fi service. For wi-fi use beyond the 15 minutes, tourists would have to pay via credit card.

At present, there are only three access points for the w-fi service around the Mahabodhi Mahavihara and the BTMC office. Sources said the access points could be increased in future.