New Delhi: In a major boost to railway safety through indigenous technology, Indian Railways has approved the deployment of ‘Kavach’ on 631 route kilometres (RKm) of the East Coast Railway at an estimated cost of ₹270 crore.

The project will cover six key sections under the East Coast Railway zone: Baghuapal–Budhapank, Haridaspur–Paradeep, Khurda Road (KUR)–Balangir, Naupada–Gunupur, Lanjigarh Road–Junagarh, and Bobbili–Salur.

Expansion of Indigenous Safety System

This initiative is part of Indian Railways’ broader plan to implement Kavach across the national network using an LTE-based communication backbone. Kavach is an indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system aimed at enhancing safety by preventing signal passing at danger (SPAD), over-speeding, and train collisions.

The system continuously monitors train movements and automatically applies brakes when necessary, thereby significantly improving operational safety.

Improving Safety and Reliability

The installation of Kavach across these routes is expected to elevate safety standards in train operations by enabling automatic protection and collision avoidance. It will also ensure safer and more reliable train movement during adverse weather conditions, such as dense fog, thereby enhancing punctuality and service reliability.

Strengthening Rail Infrastructure in the Region

The project is set to benefit both passenger and freight operations across key routes in Odisha and neighbouring regions served by the East Coast Railway. It aligns with Indian Railways’ ongoing mission to expand Kavach coverage across high-density and strategically important routes, reinforcing its commitment to modernising rail safety infrastructure.