Indian Railways clears Kavach 4.0 and signalling works worth Rs 461 crore

Indian Railways has approved Kavach Version 4.0 on 607.7 route kilometres of the Lucknow Division of Northeastern Railway at a cost of Rs 252 crore. It also cleared Rs 209 crore for Electronic Interlocking at seven Solapur Division stations

New Delhi: Indian Railways has approved the provision of Kavach Version 4.0 on 607.7 route kilometres of the Lucknow Division of Northeastern Railway at a total cost of Rs 252 crore.

In a significant step towards strengthening railway safety through indigenous technology, the approved project will extend Kavach 4.0 coverage across the identified balance sections of the division, strengthening the safety infrastructure available for train operations, according to an official statement.

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Kavach is an indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system designed to enhance operational safety. It helps prevent Signal Passing at Danger (SPAD), automatically applies brakes when required and supports safer train movement by monitoring train operations.

The initiative is part of Indian Railways’ ongoing deployment of Kavach across its network to modernise train protection systems and enhance the safety and reliability of railway operations.

Meanwhile, Indian Railways has approved the provision of Electronic Interlocking (EI) at seven stations of the Solapur Division of Central Railway at a total cost of Rs 209 crore.

The modern signalling system will strengthen railway signalling infrastructure across the division and facilitate the implementation of Kavach, the indigenous Automatic Train Protection system, according to the statement.

Electronic Interlocking is a modern computer-based signalling system that replaces conventional relay-based interlocking. It provides more reliable control of points and signals, enables faster fault detection and restoration, facilitates easier maintenance and supports more efficient train operations.

The approved work involves the provision of Electronic Interlocking at Mohol, Mundhewadi, Bale, Solapur, Hotgi Junction-Hotgi A Cabin, Shahabad and Wadi Junction on the High Density Network (HDN) 7 route, where Kavach, Automatic Block Signalling (ABS) and Centralised Traffic Control (CTC) works have been sanctioned.

The statement further said that the project is part of Indian Railways’ continuing efforts to modernise signalling infrastructure, strengthen railway safety and improve operational efficiency across high-density routes.