Indian Railways Approves ₹1,236 Crore Projects for Kavach and Optical Fibre Expansion

Railways Boost Safety and Digital Network with Kavach 4.0 and OFC Projects

Indian Railways has sanctioned infrastructure projects worth ₹1,236 crore to upgrade communication systems and expand the indigenous Kavach train protection system. The initiative aims to enhance safety, strengthen digital connectivity and improve operational efficiency across key railway zones.

Optical Fibre Network Expansion

A significant share of the investment is allocated to expanding optical fibre infrastructure. In the Central Railway zone, projects worth ₹623.63 crore will establish a dual-path communication network across major divisions such as Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Bhusawal and Solapur. The plan includes installation of Optical Ground Wire (OPGW) over 2,250 route kilometres and underground optical fibre cables across 2,673 route kilometres. This redundancy ensures uninterrupted communication even if one network path fails.

Revenue and Digital Capacity Enhancement

The expanded fibre network will support signalling and operational communication while also enabling revenue generation. Indian Railways plans to lease surplus “dark fibre” capacity to telecom and data service providers. This approach not only strengthens digital infrastructure but also contributes to financial sustainability.

Kavach Deployment for Safety

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

Western Railway Connectivity Projects

In addition, ₹302.26 crore has been allocated to the Western Railway zone for optical fibre connectivity across Rajkot and Bhavnagar divisions in Gujarat. Covering 1,653 kilometres, this project will close existing communication gaps and improve coordination across railway operations.

Exam-Focused Points

• Investment: ₹1,236 crore (Railway infrastructure upgrade)

• System: Kavach 4.0 (automatic train protection system)

• OFC Expansion: OPGW + underground fibre for dual-path network

• Coverage: Central, Southern and Western Railway zones

• Revenue Model: Leasing of dark fibre

• Objective: Safety enhancement + digital connectivity + efficiency