Railways launches digital transformation drive
Wire desk byline Sourced from Xinhua, Dawn, Arab News, Anadolu and Minute Mirror. Translated and abridged by the GSRRA Desk.
1,700km fibre optic network, GPS tracking planned
Pakistan Railways is moving ahead with a major technology-driven transformation under an ambitious digitisation programme featuring a 1,700-kilometre fibre optic network and smart railway systems aimed at modernising operations, freight management and passenger services across the country.
According to official project documents available with Wealth Pakistan, the initiative forms part of Pakistan Railways’ Railway Advance Infrastructure Network (RAIN), described as the first major revenue-focused digitisation project in the department’s history, said a press release.
The programme aims to create a comprehensive digital ecosystem for railway operations and introduce advanced technologies across multiple operational areas. Under the project, Pakistan Railways plans to establish a 1,700km fibre optic backbone for digital operations.
Out of 1,700km, around 700km will comprise railway-owned fibre infrastructure, while another 1,000km will be developed in collaboration with Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) under a strategic partnership arrangement. The project also includes bandwidth transmission through public-private partnership mechanisms.
The digital transformation programme will also introduce Pakistan Railways’ first complete digital manifest system covering its 78-year operational history. Freight operations are expected to undergo full digitisation, improving tracking, documentation and operational efficiency.
Documents show that Pakistan Railways plans to introduce GPS-based tracking systems for locomotives and rolling stock to strengthen monitoring and operational management.
Reference Link:- https://tribune.com.pk/story/2609944/railways-launches-digital-transformation-drive
Zamir Ahmed Awan is the founder and Chair of the Global Silk Route Research Alliance, a think tank in Islamabad. He studied engineering at Shanghai University in the 1980s, and years later he went back to China as Pakistan's science counsellor in Beijing, from 2010 until 2016, working on science and higher education cooperation between the two countries.…
