The Ministry of Railways announced on Monday that the government has approved the installation of the indigenous train protection system, ‘Kavach’, across a 631-kilometre (RKM) stretch of the East Coast Railway network. According to the Ministry, the project is estimated to cost approximately ₹270 crore. It will cover six key rail sections of the East Coast Railway: Baghuapal-Budhapank, Haridaspur-Paradeep, Khurda Road-Balangir, Naupada-Gunupur, Lanjigarh Road-Junagarh, and Bobbili-Salur.
The approved project is part of a larger Indian Railways initiative to implement the ‘Kavach’ system—complemented by an LTE-based communication network—across the entire rail network. ‘Kavach’ is an indigenous Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system developed in India, designed to prevent incidents such as Signal Passing at Danger (SPAD), overspeeding, and train collisions.
The system continuously monitors train movements and automatically applies brakes when necessary, significantly enhancing the safety of rail operations. The Ministry stated that implementing ‘Kavach’ on these sections will provide trains with automatic protection and anti-collision capabilities, thereby further strengthening operational safety.
In addition to preventing accidents, the system will facilitate the safe operation of trains during adverse weather conditions, particularly dense fog. Railway officials note that the project will benefit both passenger and freight services in Odisha and the surrounding regions served by the East Coast Railway.
This initiative aims to improve train punctuality and operational efficiency while bolstering the safety infrastructure on critical rail routes. The approval is part of Indian Railways’ comprehensive drive to modernise signalling and safety systems across the country. Earlier this month, the government announced approval for the installation of Electronic Interlocking (EI) systems at 32 stations on Eastern Railway routes classified as High-Density Networks (HDN) and Highly Utilised Networks (HUN). The government has sanctioned ₹405 crore for this signalling upgrade project, which aims to enhance reliability, safety, and operational performance across critical rail corridors.
