Indian Railways Launches ₹1,236 Crore Communication Upgrade Initiative
Indian Railways has recently approved a significant set of projects worth approximately ₹1,236 crore aimed at enhancing its communication infrastructure and expanding the Kavach automatic train protection system across various zones. This initiative encompasses three distinct proposals, two of which focus on strengthening optical fibre and ground wire networks on Central and Western Railways, while the third is dedicated to rolling out the Kavach system on heavily trafficked routes within the Southern Railway network.
Central Railway to Enhance Communication Network: ₹623.63 Crore Investment
The Central Railway has received approval for two interrelated projects designed to establish a resilient dual-path communication network throughout its five divisions: Solapur, Nagpur, Pune, Bhusawal, and Mumbai.
The first project involves the installation of special composite overhead wire, known as OPGW (96 fibre), along the existing 25 KV electric traction lines, spanning 2,250.68 Rkm. This innovative wire serves dual purposes, acting not only as an earth protection component for the traction system but also facilitating optical fibre communication. The advantage of this approach is that no new civil infrastructure is required, bringing the cost to ₹238.9363 crore.
The second project entails the laying of underground optical fibre cables (2×48 fibre) alongside the track over a distance of 2,673.21 Rkm across all divisions. This added capacity ensures a resilient two-path fibre network for enhanced communication reliability, even in the event of a path failure. The total cost of this project is ₹384.6887 crore. The extra fibre capacity is intended to be leased out as dark fibre, providing an additional revenue stream for Indian Railways.
Kavach Safety System Expands Across Southern Railway: ₹310.18 Crore
The Kavach automatic train protection system, designed to prevent train collisions, will extend to 548 km of high-traffic routes in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka under a ₹310.18 crore investment. This advanced system automatically applies brakes if two trains are on a collision course or if signals are disregarded.
Specifically, Kavach version 4.0 will be deployed on two key sections: the Jolarpettai–Erode route (180 Rkm, Salem Division) and the Chennai Beach – Tambaram – Chengalpattu line (60 km, Chennai Division), along with new optical fibre cabling for enhanced safety. Additionally, the system will be installed on the Shoranur–Mangalore route (308 km, Palakkad Division) with corresponding optical fibre cabling, which costs ₹151.44 crore.
Western Railway Completes Fibre Backbone: ₹302.2589 Crore
To further solidify its communication capabilities, Western Railway will implement a project costing ₹302.2589 crore to install optical fibre cables (2×48 fibre on each side of the track) across the remaining segments of the Rajkot and Bhavnagar divisions in Gujarat, totaling 1,653 km. This critical infrastructure will complete the fibre communication network in these areas, supporting reliable operation of the Kavach system as well as LTE-based train control systems.
A Vision for Modernization
These initiatives are part of Indian Railways’ broader strategy to modernize its infrastructure through the integration of advanced communication technologies and safety systems. By strengthening traction-linked communication networks and expanding optical fibre networks, Indian Railways aims to significantly enhance operational efficiency, safety, and future-ready railway operations across the nation.
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