Railways clears ₹1,364 crore projects to boost safety, expand Kavach deployment

Indian Railways has approved projects worth ₹1,364.45 crore to strengthen safety systems, signalling infrastructure and communication networks across multiple zones.

The sanctioned works include installation of indigenous train collision avoidance system ‘Kavach’ on locomotives, expansion of optical fibre communication (OFC) networks, and replacement of conventional signalling with electronic interlocking systems, according to an official statement issued on Monday.

Kavach Version 4.0 will be installed on 232 locomotives in Southern Railway at a cost of ₹208.81 crore.

The move is aimed at enhancing train collision avoidance capabilities and forms part of the ₹27,693-crore umbrella programme for Kavach deployment across the rail network.

In Northern Railway, projects worth ₹400.86 crore have been approved to upgrade the communication backbone over more than 3,200 route kilometres.

The works include laying 2×48 fibre cables across Ambala, Delhi and Lucknow divisions, along with setting up OFC infrastructure at stations, to ensure reliable and high-capacity communication essential for modern signalling and Kavach operations.

North Central Railway will see the rollout of a 2×48 fibre OFC network over 2,196 route kilometres at a cost of ₹176.76 crore.

The project will cover key divisions including Prayagraj, Jhansi and Agra, and is expected to support Kavach deployment on high-density routes.

In South Central Railway, projects worth ₹578.02 crore have been cleared to replace panel interlocking systems with electronic interlocking at 49 stations across Guntakal and Nanded divisions. The upgrade is aimed at reducing manual intervention, improving signalling reliability and enhancing operational safety on busy routes.

“All the sanctioned projects are part of the broader effort to modernise Indian Railways with a focus on safety, reliability and capacity enhancement,” the Ministry of Railways said.

“These interventions are expected to improve operational efficiency and ensure safer train operations across the network,” it added.