ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi has directed the Information Technology (IT) department of Pakistan Railways (PR) to ensure completion of Phase-I of the Railway Advanced Infrastructure Network (RAIN) by June 2026.
Chairing a high-level meeting of the largest digitization initiative on RAIN, Hanif Abbasi said the initiative marks a turning point for Pakistan Railways, driving rapid progress toward a modern, efficient, and passenger-friendly network built for the 21st century.
During the session, the Directorate of IT delivered a detailed presentation highlighting the progress and implementation plans of the project. The Minister was assured that Phase-I of the RAIN Project will be completed by June 2026.
According to the Directorate, Phase-I will be fully executed using Pakistan Railways’ own revenue, reflecting the organization’s financial self-reliance and operational sustainability. The RAIN Project is the most comprehensive digitization initiative in the history of Pakistan Railways, and Phase-I has now been successfully executed.
Phase-I of RAIN include: introduction of GPS tracking for all trains and locomotives, establishment of Safe and Smart Railway Stations at major stations, modelled after the successful Rawalpindi station, with plans to upgrade other key stations similarly, provision of high-speed internet at selected railway stations and establishment of Command & Control Centers at the Lahore Headquarters and all divisional offices.
Fiberization of 1,700 kilometers of the ML-1 railway network and enabling real-time monitoring and data-driven decision-making will also be the main components of the project.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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