Info on rail projects on the Net soon

Citizens could soon access information regarding progress of railway projects on the Internet. Primavera, a US-based $110 million project management company, has been asked to create a geographic information system (GIS) for the Northern Railway.

"As part of the Right to Information Act, the Northern Railway will be introducing the GIS shortly to allow citizens to have access to the data about the projects undertaken by us," said a senior Railway official.

The GIS, which is expected to become operational within the next three months, is almost 70 per cent complete. The project will contain detailed maps, which will allow users to have access to all the projects undertaken by the Northern Railway in different regions. The data will also allow access to projects currently under operation.

"Information pertaining to projects that are in the process of being rolled out will also be available in detail, allowing citizens to access those projects which are running behind schedule," said Primavera India's Chief Executive Officer Mukesh Arora.

The GIS will, however, only act as a tool for information and the users will not have the option of providing opinions "" especially on the projects running behind schedule.

"The idea is only to provide information, there will not be any mechanism for complaint redressal," the official added.

The project could later be extended to include the Southern Railway and even the Konkan Railway.

"Depending on the response of the GIS for the Northern Railways, the project will also be extended to other railway zones," said Arora.

The company is currently in final stages of seeking approvals from the Railway Board for the exact design of the GIS.