Pakistan to Launch Digital Portal to Cut RoW Delays Holding Back Broadband Expansion

The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT) is moving forward with plans to establish a nationwide Right of Way (RoW) One-Window Portal, aiming to expedite approvals for telecom infrastructure deployment, which is expected to facilitate broadband expansion. The digital platform, being developed under the Digital Economy Enhancement Project (DEEP), will bring federal, provincial, local, and private land-owning agencies onto a single online system. MoITT aims to reduce the average RoW approval timeline from the current 100 days to 75 days initially, and eventually to fewer than 65 days. As part of the initiative, a complete evaluation of the existing RoW landscape will be carried out. This assessment will cover all RoW-owner agencies and identify gaps in current procedures. The consultant will recommend a harmonized RoW policy framework to address inconsistent fees, approval steps, and documentation requirements across different jurisdictions. The new RoW portal will help standardize processes nationwide and minimize delays that slow broadband expansion and fiber deployment. The digital platform will function as a single-window system, allowing telecom operators to submit applications, track progress, and receive approvals through an integrated workflow. It will offer features such as role-based access, automated notifications, transparent fee calculations, digital scrutiny, and complaint redressal. The consultant will also design API-based integration mechanisms to ensure that federal and provincial agencies can seamlessly connect their back-end systems with the central portal. The operational model will include a strategy for onboarding RoW agencies such as development authorities, municipal bodies, provincial departments, and private housing societies to ensure consistent compliance. It will also provide training modules, stakeholder engagement sessions, and policy guidelines to support implementation. Legal and institutional reforms will be proposed as well, including updates to the Public Private Right of Way Directive to strengthen enforcement of the new RoW system. By reducing approval times and enhancing transparency, the RoW One-Window Portal is expected to boost national fiberization efforts, expedite telecom infrastructure rollout, and alleviate operational hurdles for licensed operators. MoITT aims to make the platform a key driver of Pakistan’s digital transformation by enabling faster fiber deployment, improving broadband availability, and creating a more investor-friendly regulatory environment.