Indian Railways greenlights safety upgrades across multiple divisions

Indian Railways on Saturday sanctioned multiple infrastructure and safety initiatives to strengthen rail operations and safeguard passengers across the country's expansive network.

Among the key approvals is the deployment of Kavach Version 4.0, an indigenously developed automatic train protection system, across 607.7 route kilometres of the Lucknow Division under the North Eastern Railway. The project, carrying a total outlay of Rs 252 crore, will extend the safety system's reach to identified sections of the division that currently lack such protection.

Kavach 4.0 functions as a critical fail-safe mechanism by automatically applying brakes when trains approach red signals, preventing overshooting incidents. The system continuously monitors train operations, enabling safer movement across the network. Railway officials indicated that the expansion represents a substantial boost to the division's safety infrastructure.

The approvals form part of Indian Railways' broader modernisation drive to integrate advanced safety technologies and upgrade physical infrastructure. Additional projects approved during the same review included electronic interlocking systems and construction of a road overbridge at specified locations, though full details of these initiatives remain pending from the Railway Ministry.