Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw gave his approval on Thursday for installing the Kavach safety system at crucial Eastern Railway stations. This decision marks a major advancement in rail safety across Bengal.
Key Safety Initiative for Eastern Railway
A spokesperson from Eastern Railway confirmed the development. The railway authority is taking a significant step forward. They aim to strengthen rail safety with this approval.
The indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection system, known as Kavach, will now cover a 443-kilometer stretch. This section was previously uncovered on the Eastern Railway network. The estimated cost for this project stands at Rs 223.8 crore.
Important Stretches to be Covered
The safety net will extend across several vital railway sections. These include key routes that see heavy passenger traffic daily.
- Howrah-Santragachi
- Liluah-Belur Math
- Tarakeswar-Goghat
- Maynapur-Bishnupur
- Rampurhat-Dumka
- Azimganj-Murshidabad
- Lakshmikantapur-Namkhana
- Kankurgachi-Ballygunge
- Kalyani-Kalyani Simanta
- Krishnanagar Junction-Amghata
- Krishnanagar City-Lalgola
- Asansol-Burnpur
- Barachak-Hirapur
- Bakhtarnagar-Andal
Part of a Larger Railway Project
This installation work forms part of a broader umbrella project. The project carries the title "Provision of Kavach with communication backbone of Long-Term Evolution (LTE) on balance routes of Indian Railways (Umbrella Work 2024–25)".
Authorities approved it under the Works, Machinery & Rolling Stock Programme for 2024-25. This programme is commonly known as the Pink Book. The total cost for the entire umbrella project reaches Rs 27,693 crore.
Out of this substantial budget, Rs 896 crore received allocation specifically for work on Eastern Railway stretches. This funding ensures the project moves forward without financial hurdles.
Enhanced Passenger Safety Expected
An official from Eastern Railway shared insights on the project's completion. Once finished, the entire railway network of Eastern Railway within Bengal will operate under the Kavach system.
This integration promises to significantly enhance passenger safety. The system works by preventing train collisions and controlling over-speeding incidents. Passengers traveling through Bengal can look forward to more secure rail journeys.
The approval signals the government's commitment to modernizing India's railway infrastructure. It also highlights the push for indigenous technological solutions in critical sectors.
