Pakistan Railways' app glitch leaves passengers stranded

Tracking application's 59-minute discrepancy leads to missed trains, complaints

RAHIM YAR KHAN:

The Pakistan Railways has implemented its winter schedule, but the Live Tracking App has not been updated to reflect the new timetable.

Passengers rely on the Live Tracking App to monitor train arrivals and departures. However, a 59-minute discrepancy between the app's schedule and actual train timings has left many passengers unable to board their trains despite having valid tickets.

The Live Tracking system, introduced on February 12, 2019, allows users to track train movements and schedules through their mobile phones.

Yesterday, a passenger named Irfanullah, who had booked an online ticket for the 11 Up Hazara Express from Rahim Yar Khan to Bhalwal, checked the app for the train's arrival.

The app displayed a time that was 45 minutes earlier than the actual arrival under the new winter timetable.

When he arrived at the station according to the app's schedule, he discovered that the train had already left 59 minutes earlier.

Other passengers at Rahim Yar Khan station reported similar issues, struggling to understand the discrepancies between the app's scheduled, arrival, and expected times.

When contacted, the Rahim Yar Khan railway station officials stated that updating the Live Tracking App is the responsibility of the headquarters.

The system, originally developed under former Railway Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed, was completed in collaboration with Sukkur's IT engineer Mudassir Zaidi.

The app was designed with assistance from international platforms like Google Maps and cost Rs7 million to develop, along with Rs70 million for 350 trackers installed on 325 railway engines.

Passengers can install the app on Android or iPhones for free and track train timings.

The app notifies users 15 minutes before a train's arrival and provides updates on delays.

However, the failure to update the system for the winter schedule has left many passengers stranded. A passenger said the railway authorities should rectify the issue at the earliest.