Railways approves Kavach 4.0, signalling and safety projects worth Rs 736 crore

Indian Railways has approved a set of infrastructure and safety projects across different railway divisions, including the installation of the automatic train protection system Kavach 4.0, electronic interlocking works, an electric traction upgrade and the construction of a road overbridge. The Railway Ministry said the projects are aimed at improving operational efficiency and passenger safety.

The approved works cover the Lucknow Division of North Eastern Railway, the Solapur Division of Central Railway, the Savalyapuram-Guntur section of South Coast Railway and the Udhna-Ukai Songadh section of Western Railway. According to a Railway Ministry press statement, the projects involve a combined outlay running into several hundred crore rupees.

The ministry approved the indigenously developed automatic train protection system, Kavach Version 4.0, for 607.7 route kilometres in the Lucknow Division of North Eastern Railway at a total cost of Rs 252 crore. It said the project will extend Kavach 4.0 coverage across the identified balance sections of the division, strengthening the safety infrastructure available for train operations.

Kavach helps prevent trains from overshooting red signals by automatically applying brakes when required and supports safer train movement by monitoring train operations.

In another decision, the ministry gave its consent for the installation of Electronic Interlocking at seven stations in the Solapur Division of Central Railway at a total cost of Rs 209 crore. Officials said the modern signalling system will strengthen railway signalling infrastructure across the division and facilitate the implementation of Kavach, the indigenous automatic train protection system.

Officials added that the ministry has also decided to upgrade the electric traction system from 1x25 kV to 2x25 kV on the 73-route-kilometre Savalyapuram-Guntur section of South Coast Railway at a total cost of Rs 142 crore. "Covering 146 track kilometres, the project will strengthen the electric traction infrastructure and enhance its capacity to support growing railway operations," the ministry said.

The fourth decision relates to the construction of a four-lane road overbridge in place of Level Crossing No. 53 at Km 62/2-4 on the Udhna-Ukai Songadh section of Western Railway. The bridge will be built at a total cost of Rs 133.2295 crore on a cost-sharing basis with the state government. "The construction of the four-lane ROB will facilitate smoother movement of road traffic, thereby reducing interference with railway operations," the ministry said.- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Sep 20, 2026 00:00 IST