Indian Railways approves ₹381 crore projects to expand Kavach, electric locomotive infrastructure
New Delhi, July 10
Indian Railways has approved projects worth ₹381 crore to strengthen railway safety and expand locomotive maintenance infrastructure, with plans to deploy the indigenous Kavach safety system on key Northern Railway routes and create additional homing facilities for electric locomotives at Raipur.
The two projects, approved at a combined cost of ₹381 crore, are aimed at supporting the growing railway network by improving operational efficiency, strengthening safety and expanding infrastructure in line with rising passenger and freight traffic.
The larger of the two projects involves the deployment of Kavach Version 4.0 on 680 route kilometres of the Rewari-Delhi and Shakurbasti-Bathinda sections, including feeder branch lines, under the Delhi Division of Northern Railway. The project has been approved at a cost of ₹206 crore.
According to the Ministry of Railways, the project forms part of Indian Railways' ongoing nationwide rollout of Kavach across high-density and strategically important routes.
"Kavach is India's indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system designed to significantly enhance railway safety by preventing Signal Passed at Danger (SPAD) incidents and train collisions," the ministry said.
The ministry added that deployment of Kavach Version 4.0 on these routes is expected to strengthen railway safety, improve operational efficiency, enhance the reliability of train operations and support faster, technology-driven movement of both passenger and freight services.
In a separate project, Indian Railways has approved ₹175 crore for the creation of additional homing facilities for 250 three-phase electric locomotives at the High Horse Power (HHP) Diesel Shed at Raipur under South East Central Railway.
The ministry said the project has been sanctioned to augment maintenance infrastructure in line with the rapid expansion of the electric locomotive fleet and increasing freight and passenger operations across the network.
According to the ministry, the additional homing facilities will help Indian Railways make better use of existing infrastructure while creating space for future technological expansion at the Raipur depot.
The ministry said both projects are part of Indian Railways' broader efforts to modernise infrastructure, improve operational capabilities and support the growing requirements of its expanding rail network.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Good to see focus on indigenous tech like Kavach! But I hope these approvals come with proper execution and maintenance plans. The ₹175 crore for Raipur's locomotive shed is also welcome—we need more electric loco infrastructure as we move away from diesel. Just wish the Railway Board would also address overcrowding in general coaches and improve station facilities in smaller towns. Safety plus comfort both needed!
Interesting to see India Railway's investment in indigenous ATP system. Kavach Version 4.0 sounds promising for collision prevention. From an outsider's perspective, I'm curious how this compares with European ETCS or US PTC systems. The cost per km seems reasonable compared to Western deployments. Will follow the rollout progress. Cheers from Melbourne! 🇦🇺
As someone who travels on Northern Railway frequently, this Kavach news is reassuring. The Rewari-Delhi section has seen some close calls in the past. But I have a small concern: will this project be completed without disrupting train schedules? Last year's maintenance work on Delhi station caused massive delays. Also glad to see Raipur getting electric loco facilities—we need more such depots across the country to support the Vande Bharat and freight growth.
Great move by Indian Railways! 👏 The ₹206 crore for Kavach on 680 km is a significant milestone for safety. My father worked in railways for 35 years, and he always said automatic train protection is the future. Now we need to extend this to all high-density routes, especially in Southern and Eastern Railways. And Raipur's loco shed expansion is timely—with more freight moving by rail, these homing facilities will reduce loco turnaround time. Hope the execution matches the vision!
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