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Railways to Build Subways Near Tracks for Safety, Accelerates Kavach Rollout

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has directed officials to create a nationwide plan for constructing subways near railway tracks, particularly around settlement areas, to enhance safety and prevent accidents. The plan aims to cover all such areas within five to six years, with subways designed to be user-friendly and avoid waterlogging. Simultaneously, the ministry reviewed the progress of the indigenous Kavach train protection system, focusing on speeding up its deployment and integrating AI and software upgrades. Kavach has already been installed on over 3,100 route kilometres, with expansion ongoing on key corridors and a centralized monitoring platform under development.

Key Points: Railways Plan Subways Near Tracks, Boost Kavach Safety System

  • Nationwide subway plan near tracks
  • Prevent accidents in settlements
  • Kavach system deployment accelerated
  • AI and software upgrades for safety
  • Centralized monitoring platform SURAKSHA
2 min read

Safety push: Ashwini Vaishnaw calls for subways near railway tracks

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw orders a nationwide plan for subways near railway settlements and reviews the accelerated deployment of the Kavach safety system.

"prepare a nationwide plan to construct subways near railway tracks, especially around settlement areas - Railway Ministry"

New Delhi, March 26

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday directed officials to prepare a nationwide plan to construct subways near railway tracks, especially around settlement areas, to improve safety and prevent accidents.

The move aims to reduce accidents and provide safer crossing options for residents living near railway lines.

According to the Railway Ministry, the plan is to cover all settlement areas located near railway tracks across the country within the next five to six years. Officials have been asked to design these subways in a way that encourages people to use them comfortably. The minister also emphasized that the structures should be built to avoid waterlogging during the rainy season, a common issue that often discourages usage.

The ministry added that these subways will be constructed in a manner that minimises disruption to train services, with installations planned to be completed within a short time frame of around 12 hours of traffic block.

Alongside safety infrastructure, Vaishnaw also reviewed the progress of Kavach, the indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection system of Indian Railways. The meeting focused on speeding up its deployment and using advanced technology to improve train operations.

Indian Railways has introduced several upgrades in Kavach, including a Universal Braking Algorithm that standardizes braking systems across different manufacturers. Improvements in software, use of artificial intelligence in design, and better integration with locomotives and signalling systems are helping make the system more reliable.

A centralized monitoring platform called SURAKSHA is also being developed to enable real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance of Kavach installations.

So far, Kavach has been installed on over 3,100 route kilometres, while work is ongoing across more than 24,000 route kilometres, including busy corridors. Key routes such as Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Howrah have already seen significant progress, with further expansion underway. The system has also been installed on thousands of locomotives, with more in progress, as Indian Railways continues to strengthen safety and efficiency across its network.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

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Priya S
Good step, but execution is key. The minister mentioned avoiding waterlogging - that's crucial! So many existing subways in Delhi become unusable ponds during monsoon. They need proper drainage and regular maintenance. 🙏
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Vikram M
Combining this with the Kavach rollout is smart. Safety isn't just about preventing collisions, it's also about protecting people on the ground. The focus on indigenous tech like Kavach and SURAKSHA is promising for our railways' future. 🇮🇳
S
Sarah B
As someone who recently moved to Mumbai for work, the number of informal settlements right next to tracks is alarming. A nationwide plan is ambitious. Hope they prioritize the most high-risk areas first. The 12-hour installation plan sounds efficient if they can stick to it.
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Rohit P
Respectfully, while the intent is good, I'm skeptical about the 5-6 year timeline for "all settlement areas." Our infrastructure projects often face delays. Would like to see a transparent, phase-wise rollout map with deadlines. Also, will local municipalities help maintain these?
A
Ananya R
The AI integration in Kavach's design and the predictive maintenance platform are impressive tech moves. Safety + technology is the way forward. Hope the subways are also designed keeping accessibility in mind for elderly and differently-abled people.

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