-Installation of Kavach Version 4.0 on 232 Southern Railway Locomotives with ₹208.81 Crore Allocation to Strengthen Train Collision Avoidance
New Delhi : Indian Railways has approved multiple infrastructure projects worth ₹1,364.45 crore aimed at enhancing safety, signalling, and communication systems across its network. The sanctioned works include installation of Kavach on locomotives, expansion of optical fibre cable (OFC) networks, and replacement of panel interlocking with advanced electronic interlocking systems across key zones.
Kavach to be Installed on 232 Locomotives in Southern Railway
The railways have sanctioned ₹208.81 crore for installing onboard Kavach equipment on 232 locomotives in Southern Railway. The project is part of the broader “Provision of Kavach with LTE communication backbone” initiative under the Works Programme 2024–25, which has an overall allocation of ₹27,693 crore.
A sub-allocation of ₹2,950 crore has been earmarked for Southern Railway, under which Kavach Version 4.0 systems will be deployed to enhance train safety through automatic protection mechanisms.
Communication Backbone Strengthened in Northern Railway
In Northern Railway, projects worth ₹400.86 crore have been approved to strengthen communication infrastructure. These works fall under a ₹4,871 crore umbrella programme focused on upgrading and replacing communication backbone systems.
With ₹871 crore allocated to Northern Railway, key works include laying 2×48 fibre OFC cables across:
- 926.05 route km in Ambala Division
- 1,204 route km in Delhi Division (along with OFC rooms at stations)
- 1,074 route km in Lucknow Division
These upgrades are expected to significantly improve communication capacity and reliability, which are critical for modern signalling systems and Kavach deployment.
OFC Network Expansion in North Central Railway
An additional ₹176.77 crore has been sanctioned for deploying 2×48 fibre OFC cables over 2,196 route kilometres in North Central Railway. This includes:
- 1,016 km in Prayagraj Division
- 709 km in Jhansi Division
- 471 km in Agra Division
The project will strengthen communication systems across high-density routes and support seamless implementation of Kavach.
Electronic Interlocking in South Central Railway
To modernise signalling systems, ₹578.02 crore has been approved for replacing panel interlocking with electronic interlocking systems in South Central Railway.
Under this initiative:
- 35 stations in Guntakal Division will be upgraded at a cost of ₹426.82 crore
- 14 stations in Nanded Division will be upgraded at ₹151.20 crore
These upgrades aim to improve signalling reliability, reduce manual intervention, and enhance operational safety on high-density routes.
Focus on Modernisation and Safety
All the approved works are part of Indian Railways’ broader push to modernise infrastructure with a strong focus on safety, efficiency, and capacity enhancement. The projects will accelerate deployment of Kavach, strengthen communication networks, and upgrade signalling systems across critical corridors.
Collectively, these initiatives are expected to improve operational efficiency and ensure safer, more reliable train operations across the national railway network.