Indian Railways has approved ₹675 crore for Kavach 4.0, electronic interlocking and a freight bypass to improve railway safety, signalling and freight movement.
Rs. 675 Crore Approved for Railway Infrastructure
Indian Railways has approved projects worth a combined ₹675 crore to strengthen railway safety, modernise signalling systems and improve freight movement across key sections of the network.
The approved projects include ₹170 crore for Kavach Version 4.0, ₹233 crore for Electronic Interlocking at 21 stations in Samastipur Division and ₹272 crore for an 11-km bypass in South Eastern Railway.
The projects are aimed at improving operational safety, reducing congestion and creating additional capacity for growing passenger and freight requirements.
Kavach 4.0 to Cover 712 Route Kilometres
Indian Railways has sanctioned ₹170 crore for deploying Kavach Version 4.0 across the remaining 712 Route Kilometres (Rkm) of Moradabad Division under Northern Railway.
Kavach is an indigenous Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system designed to improve railway safety. It can help prevent Signal Passing at Danger (SPAD), automatically apply brakes when necessary and control train speeds in critical situations.
The expansion will strengthen train protection infrastructure and reduce the risk of collisions while supporting the modernisation of railway signalling and safety systems.
Electronic Interlocking at 21 Samastipur Stations
A separate ₹233-crore project has been approved to install Electronic Interlocking (EI) at 21 stations in Samastipur Division of East Central Railway.
The project will replace existing Panel Interlocking systems with modern computer-based Electronic Interlocking technology.
The upgraded system is expected to improve signalling reliability, enable quicker fault diagnosis, simplify maintenance and provide greater operational flexibility.
The modern signalling infrastructure will also facilitate the implementation of Kavach, creating stronger safety arrangements across the division.
₹272 Crore Bypass to Boost Freight Movement
Indian Railways has also approved ₹272 crore for constructing an 11-km bypass line between the Adra end and Joychandipahar in South Eastern Railway.
The proposed Adra-Joychandipahar-Sanka bypass will provide dedicated path segregation and a bi-directional connection to the upcoming third line.
The project is expected to facilitate around 6.065 freight rakes per day and support increasing industrial traffic in the region.
Supporting Industrial and Mineral Freight
The bypass is expected to address operational bottlenecks and surface-crossing detentions along the Adra-Joychandipahar section.
The existing network is operating at around 71 per cent utilisation, making additional capacity important for future freight movement.
The project is expected to facilitate an additional 8.88 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of traffic after completion.
The Joychandipahar-Adra section’s line capacity is projected to increase from the current 47.50 per cent to 56.45 per cent by 2028-29.
The bypass forms part of the Energy, Mineral and Cement Corridor identified by Indian Railways and is expected to strengthen the movement of industrial commodities.
Strengthening Safety and Freight Capacity
Together, the three projects represent investment across different aspects of railway infrastructure, from advanced train protection and computerised signalling to dedicated freight connectivity.
The Kavach expansion will strengthen operational safety, Electronic Interlocking will modernise signalling infrastructure, while the freight bypass will help reduce congestion and accommodate rising industrial traffic.
The projects are expected to improve railway efficiency while supporting India’s broader transportation and industrial infrastructure requirements.
Key Takeaways
- Indian Railways approved projects worth ₹675 crore.
- ₹170 crore sanctioned for Kavach 4.0 across 712 Rkm.
- ₹233 crore allocated for Electronic Interlocking at 21 stations.
- ₹272 crore approved for an 11-km freight bypass.
- The bypass is expected to facilitate 6.065 freight rakes daily.
- Additional freight capacity of 8.88 MTPA is expected after completion.
- Projects will improve railway safety, signalling and freight efficiency.
