Indian Railways approves Rs 252 crore for Kavach safety system in Lucknow Division
Indian Railways is accelerating its modernization and safety upgrades with fresh financial approvals for critical infrastructure projects across the network. The Ministry of Railways has sanctioned the rollout of advanced train protection systems and new road infrastructure to improve passenger safety, reduce congestion, and ensure smoother train operations.
Key updates from Indian Railways infrastructure approvals:
- Rs 252 crore approved for Kavach Version 4.0 across 607.7 route kilometres of the Lucknow Division under North Eastern Railway.
- Rs 133.2295 crore sanctioned for a four-lane Road Over Bridge (ROB) on the Udhna-Ukai Songadh section of Western Railway on a cost-sharing basis.
Expanding Kavach 4.0 Safety in Lucknow Division
Indian Railways has officially approved the provision of Kavach Version 4.0 across 607.7 route kilometres of the Lucknow Division under North Eastern Railway at a total cost of Rs 252 crore. This indigenous project aims to strengthen rail safety infrastructure across identified balance sections of the division.
Kavach is an indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system designed to significantly enhance operational safety. It helps prevent Signal Passing at Danger (SPAD), automatically applies brakes when necessary, and supports safer train movement by continuously monitoring operations. This initiative forms a core part of the national transporter's ongoing deployment of Kavach to modernise protection systems and ensure highly reliable railway operations.
New Four-Lane Road Over Bridge on Western Railway
In addition to signalling upgrades, Indian Railways has approved the construction of a four-lane Road Over Bridge (ROB) on the Udhna-Ukai Songadh section of Western Railway at a total cost of Rs 133.2295 crore, built on a cost-sharing basis with the state government.
The project features complex engineering due to a 62 percent skew at the crossing location. The bridge design includes an Open Web Girder (OWG) railway portion estimated at Rs 91.60 crore, a viaduct portion with a total length of 311.58 metres costing Rs 19.98 crore, and a Railway Approach (RE) portion measuring 524.32 metres costing Rs 10.25 crore.
The total expenditure of Rs 133.2295 crore is shared equally between Indian Railways and the State Government, with the Railway share at Rs 66.6147 crore and the State Government share at Rs 66.6148 crore. This grade-separated infrastructure will eliminate level crossing interference, support smoother train movements, and deliver better efficiency and reliability for both rail and road commuters.