Indian Railways has approved projects worth a total of ₹675 crore aimed at enhancing railway safety, upgrading signaling systems, and improving freight operations across the network.
The approved works include ₹272 crore for constructing an 11-km bypass line between Adra end and JoychandiPahar under South Eastern Railway, ₹233 crore for installing Electronic Interlocking (EI) systems at 21 stations in the Samastipur Division, and ₹170 crore for implementing Kavach Version 4.0 across the remaining 712 Route Kilometers (Rkm) of the Moradabad Division. These initiatives are expected to strengthen operational safety, modernize essential railway infrastructure, and enhance train movement capacity.
Rs 272 Crore Bypass Project to Strengthen Freight Movement
Indian Railways has approved an 11-km-long bypass line between Adra and Joychandi Pahar in the South Eastern Railway zone. This project, costing ₹272 crore, aims to reduce congestion on the existing rail network and provide an alternative route for the proposed third line.
The bypass will facilitate the daily movement of approximately 6.065 freight train rakes. This will help in efficiently handling SAIL’s iron ore requirement of 23.40 MTPA and the transportation of goods estimated at 45 rakes daily associated with BCCL.
The Adra-Joychandipahar-Sanka bypass is expected to reduce delays caused by surface crossings and other operational constraints. The existing network is operating at approximately 71% capacity, which affects the speed and operation of freight trains.
Upon completion of the project, the capacity to handle an additional traffic of approximately 8.88 MTPA is expected to be created. Meanwhile, the line capacity of the Joychandipahar-Adra section is projected to increase from 47.50% to 56.45% by 2028-29.
Electronic Interlocking Approved for 21 Samastipur Stations
Indian Railways has approved the installation of an Electronic Interlocking (EI) system at 21 stations in the Samastipur Division of East Central Railway (ECR) at a cost of ₹233 crore. Under this initiative, the existing panel interlocking system will be replaced with modern electronic interlocking, thereby further strengthening the division’s signaling infrastructure.
This modern, computer-based signaling system will enhance the reliability and efficiency of railway operations while facilitating rapid fault detection and easier maintenance. It will also lay a crucial foundation for the effective implementation of Kavach, the indigenous automatic train protection system.
Moradabad Division Set for Kavach 4.0 Rollout Across 712 Rkm
Indian Railways has approved the implementation of ‘Kavach Version 4.0’ on the remaining 712 Route Kilometers (Rkm) of the Northern Railway’s Moradabad Division at a cost of ₹170 crore. The project aims to enhance train operations and strengthen the division’s safety infrastructure.
The indigenous Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system, Kavach 4.0, will help prevent incidents such as Signal Passing at Danger (SPAD). It is capable of automatically applying brakes, controlling train speed, and reducing the risk of collisions when necessary.
This initiative is part of Indian Railways’ ongoing efforts to expand the coverage of ‘Kavach’ across its network and modernize railway signaling and train safety systems.
