Railway to launch one-stop digital services for passengers: Minister
DOT Desk: Railways Minister Nurul Islam Sujan yesterday said the Railways Ministry and the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Division have joined hands to launch a one-stop digital service platform so that passengers can get seamless, easy and quick services, reports The Daily Star. Once the “One Stop Digital Railway Passenger Service System” and “Mobile App” are developed, hopefully by April next year, a service seeker will be able to avail all railway-related services using mobile phone, the minister said.
The minister said this following a view exchange meeting held at Rail Bhaban in Dhaka yesterday. State Minister for ICT Division Zunaid Ahmed Palak was also present at the meeting. A nine-member committee led by Pronab Kumar Ghosh, additional secretary of Railways Ministry, was formed during the meeting to implement the project. The committee will hold its first meeting today.
At present, passengers can avail several services including booking tickets through the Internet and SMS, Minister Sujan said, adding that once the proposed service is implemented, people will get all service from a single platform.
He also said the use of technology will help prevent illegal ticket sales and provide better service to passengers.
Zunaid Ahmed Palak said the project will cost only Tk 2 crore but it will help thousands of people. “We want to give people seamless and corruption-free service,” he said.
Officials said once the integrated railway app comes into action, a passenger will be able to book and buy train ticket and pay the money via mobile phone.
He or she will also be able to know the location of nearby railway station, location of the train and local transport service using the app.
Besides, a passenger will be able to order food while in train, call railway police in the face of any unexpected situation, and give rating to a particular train after journey for the services, they said.
Railways Ministry Secretary Mofazzel Hossain and Bangladesh Railways Director General Kazi Rafiqul Alam also spoke at the meeting.