ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Railways is all set to launch the Railway Automated Booking and Travel Assistance (RABTA) in collaboration with Chinese companies, which will help passengers to plan their journey.

“The application will help the passengers to manage their tickets, seats, booking, food, hotel and taxi-related matters during their travel from home to respective destinations and vice versa,” an official of Ministry of Railways told APP.

He said that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) had already been signed between Pakistan Railways and two Chinese companies M/s Easyway and M/s Norinco International Cooperation to launch RABTA.

“The RABTA, IT-based solution will not only facilitate the passengers but also help the organization (PR) to generate more revenue and maintain its record through the booking of tickets,” he added.

Through this application, the official said that parcel booking and tracking facility would also be available while the passengers would also be able to have access to trains’ operational management system.

He said that the step was based on revenue sharing with the companies which would also modernize train operations across the country.

To facilitate passengers, he said the Pakistan Railways had introduced a mobile application “Pakrail Live” for real-time tracking of trains.

The official said the high capacity/high-speed hopper trucks had been inducted in the current fleet for swift movement and unloading of coal.

“New high capacity high speed rolling stock coaches and wagons are being procured.”

He said the railways had also introduced services like online E-Ticketing through Jazz Cash, UBL Omni and credit cards to facilitate passengers at their doorstep and attract more passengers through outsourcing of non-core activity.

“A policy for transfer of technology is being pursued in collaboration with the People’s Republic of China for indigenization of Railway Rolling Stock in Pakistan Railways facilities,” the official added.