Indian Railways to get integrated software for faster data collection

In a major IT initiative, Indian Railways is planning for integrated software, a first-of-its-kind for the national carrier, for faster data collection and analysis.

Various functions of the railways such as passenger reservation, movement of goods trains and asset management will be brought within the ambit of the software. Named as ‘One ICT’, the software that would cost about Rs 5,000 crore over the next five years will enable data collection at sources with minimum handling and become a single source of validated and authentic information for the rail sector.

“We are working on an integrated, comprehensive strategy to leverage IT for improvements in systems, processes, enhance efficiency,” Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu said at the Digital Railway for Digital India conference in association with Nasscom.

To develop the software, the railways will organise a day-long conference, involving leading software companies, here tomorrow to draw the roadmap. It is likely to form a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to develop it. “ICT will cover all the aspects, including cost analysis, attendance, accounting, asset management, medical management and land management of the Railways,” Prabhu said.

The new software is expected to ensure better capacity and asset utilisation that would help the railways run more trains, carry more freight, provide better and reliable services to passengers, increase its revenues and make its operations more safe.

The public carrier has scaled up its IT expenditure from Rs 336 crore in 2016-17 to Rs 513 crore in the 2017-18 financial year.