Scores of passengers left stranded on stations as Pakistan Railways’ recent transition to its winter timetable has revealed a significant flaw in its mobile app, the Live Tracking system, which many passengers depend on for real-time updates on train schedules.
The app has not synchronized with the new timetable, causing a 59-minute mismatch between the app’s timings and the actual train schedules. As a result, numerous travelers, despite holding valid tickets, have missed their trains.
Launched on February 12, 2019, the Live Tracking app was developed with support from international platforms such as Google Maps. It cost Rs7 million to develop, alongside Rs70 million spent on 350 trackers installed on 325 railway engines. Available for free on Android and iOS, the app alerts users 15 minutes before a train’s arrival and provides updates on delays.
However, the failure to adjust the app to the winter timetable has left many passengers stranded, prompting calls for the railway authorities to address the issue promptly.
