Indian Railways sanctions Rs 432 crore electronic interlocking project on Eastern Railway's high-density routes
New Delhi, June 30
Indian Railways has sanctioned a project worth Rs 432 crore for the replacement of relay-based interlocking with Electronic Interlocking at 27 stations/cabins on the High Density Network and Highly Utilised Network routes of Asansol Division of Eastern Railway.
The sanctioned work includes the replacement of 28 relay-based interlocking installations (27 PI/RRI and 1 IBS) with state-of-the-art Electronic Interlocking systems, significantly enhancing the safety, reliability and operational efficiency of train operations.
The project forms part of Indian Railways' ongoing programme for the provision of Electronic Interlocking on HDN/HUN routes where advanced signalling systems such as Kavach, Automatic Block Signalling (ABS) and Centralised Traffic Control (CTC) are being implemented.
Electronic Interlocking is a modern signalling technology that replaces ageing relay-based systems with computer-based interlocking, ensuring higher reliability, faster fault diagnosis, easier maintenance and enhanced operational flexibility.
The project will further strengthen railway safety while supporting higher line capacity and more efficient train operations on one of the busiest sections of the network.
Meanwhile, in a significant step towards strengthening the digital communication backbone of Indian Railways, Indian Railways has approved the provision of a Balance 48-Fibre Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) across South Eastern Railway at a cost of Rs 200 crore.
The project will provide 48-fibre OFC connectivity over 1,696.2 Route Kilometres (Rkm) across four major divisions of South Eastern Railway, reinforcing the communication network that supports safe, efficient and technology-driven railway operations.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Great to see modernisation efforts. But I wonder how long these projects will actually take to complete—Indian Railways has a history of delays and cost overruns. The OFC project at Rs 200 crore over 1,696 km is a positive step for digital communication though.
This is what we need—modern technology for safer train operations. Electronic interlocking with Kavach will be a game-changer for the Eastern Railway high-density routes. 👏 Hopefully, they also focus on maintaining the old systems until the new ones are fully operational.
Good move overall. Electronic interlocking is long overdue—relay-based systems are prone to faults, especially in this heat. But Rs 432 crore for 27 stations? I hope the cost isn't inflated. Transparency in tenders and execution is crucial. Let's see how it pans out.
Impressive infrastructure push! As someone who travels regularly on the Eastern Railway, I can tell you that better signalling will make a huge difference in punctuality. The OFC backbone for communication is also smart—it's the foundation for all digital initiatives like Kavach.
Another big-budget project. Hope it's not just a press release. Eastern Railway's Asansol division handles heavy goods traffic too. Electronic interlocking with faster fault diagnosis will reduce train delays significantly. But the execution and maintenance teams need proper training—otherwise it's just money down the drain.
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