Railways Approves ₹1236 Crore Kavach and Fibre Projects

Indian Railways has approved infrastructure projects worth ₹1,236 crore to strengthen its communication systems and expand the indigenous Kavach train protection system across key routes. The initiative focuses on enhancing safety, improving operational efficiency and building a robust digital backbone for railway operations across multiple zones.

Optical Fibre Network Expansion

A major portion of the investment is directed towards expanding optical fibre infrastructure. In Central Railway, projects worth ₹623.63 crore have been sanctioned to establish a dual-path communication network across Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Bhusawal and Solapur divisions. The plan includes installation of Optical Ground Wire (OPGW) along 2,250 route kilometres and laying underground optical fibre cables over 2,673 route kilometres. This dual system will ensure uninterrupted communication by providing redundancy in case one network fails.

Revenue and Digital Capacity Enhancement

The enhanced fibre network will not only support railway signalling and communication but also create opportunities for revenue generation. Indian Railways plans to monetise surplus fibre capacity through leasing of dark fibre to telecom and data service providers. This move is expected to strengthen financial sustainability while supporting the expansion of digital infrastructure.

Kavach Deployment for Safety

To improve train safety, Kavach version 4.0 will be deployed across 548 kilometres in the Southern Railway zone at a cost of ₹310.18 crore. Key sections include Jolarpettai–Erode, Chennai Beach–Chengalpattu and Shoranur–Mangalore routes. Kavach is an indigenously developed automatic train protection system that prevents collisions by applying brakes in case of signal violations or unsafe conditions on tracks.

Important Facts for Exams

• Kavach is an indigenous automatic train protection system developed in India.
• Optical Ground Wire (OPGW) serves both as earth wire and data transmission medium.
• Dual-path communication ensures redundancy and uninterrupted connectivity.
• Railways can monetise dark fibre by leasing unused network capacity.

Western Railway Connectivity Projects

Western Railway has been allocated ₹302.26 crore to complete optical fibre connectivity in Gujarat’s Rajkot and Bhavnagar divisions. Covering 1,653 kilometres, the project aims to bridge remaining gaps in the communication network, ensuring seamless integration and improved operational coordination across railway zones.