Indian Railways has approved projects worth a combined ₹675 crore to strengthen railway safety, modernise signalling infrastructure and enhance freight movement across the network.
The approvals include ₹170 crore for deploying Kavach Version 4.0 across the remaining 712 Route Kilometres (Rkm) of Moradabad Division, ₹233 crore for Electronic Interlocking (EI) at 21 stations in Samastipur Division, and ₹272 crore for an 11-km bypass line between Adra end and Joychandipahar in South Eastern Railway.
Kavach 4.0 to cover remaining 712 Rkm of Moradabad Division
Indian Railways has sanctioned ₹170 crore for the provision of Kavach Version 4.0 on the remaining 712 Rkm of Moradabad Division under Northern Railway.
The indigenous Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system is designed to enhance operational safety by preventing Signal Passing at Danger (SPAD), automatically applying brakes when required, controlling train speeds in critical situations and reducing the risk of collisions.
The expansion of Kavach coverage is part of Indian Railways’ efforts to modernise train protection and signalling systems across its network.
Electronic Interlocking at 21 Samastipur stations
Another ₹233-crore project has been approved for installing Electronic Interlocking at 21 stations in the Samastipur Division of East Central Railway.
The project involves replacing existing Panel Interlocking systems with modern computer-based Electronic Interlocking technology. The upgraded system is expected to improve signalling reliability, enable faster fault diagnosis, simplify maintenance and provide greater operational flexibility.
The modern signalling infrastructure will also facilitate the implementation of Kavach, strengthening safety arrangements in the division.
₹272 crore bypass to boost freight movement
Indian Railways has also approved a ₹272-crore project to construct an 11-km bypass line between the Adra end and Joychandipahar in South Eastern Railway.
The 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 the movement of an estimated 6.065 freight rakes per day and cater to rising industrial traffic.
The bypass is particularly aimed at supporting freight requirements linked to SAIL’s 23.40 MTPA iron ore demand and BCCL’s projection of 45 rakes per day.
According to the Ministry of Railways, the project will address operational bottlenecks and surface-crossing detentions on the Adra-Joychandipahar section. With the existing network operating at around 71 per cent utilisation, the bypass is expected to improve operational efficiency and reduce congestion.
The project is also expected to facilitate an additional 8.88 MTPA of traffic after completion. The current line capacity of the Joychandipahar-Adra section is 47.50 per cent, which is projected to rise 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 while supporting future growth in freight traffic.
