Bhubaneswar, June 23: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Chandra Majhi welcomed the approval for the installation of the ‘Kavach’ system on a 631-kilometer section of the East Coast Railway (ECoR) network, with an investment of ₹270 crore. He described this as a significant milestone in the development of the state’s rail infrastructure.
CM Majhi expressed on the social media platform ‘X’, “The approval for the installation of ‘Kavach’ on 631 route kilometers of East Coast Railway is a major achievement for our rail infrastructure.”
He noted that as a crucial part of the ECoR network, Odisha will benefit from enhanced passenger safety, reduced risk of accidents, improved train operations, and increased reliability of rail services.
“This modern, indigenous technology will strengthen connectivity, aid economic development, and contribute to creating a safer and more efficient railway system for the people of Odisha. I extend my heartfelt thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for their commitment to enhancing rail safety and modernizing India’s railway network,” he added.
According to an official statement, Indian Railways has approved the installation of the ‘Kavach’ system over 631 route kilometers of ECoR at a cost of ₹270 crore. This project includes six key railway sections: Baghuapal-Budhapank, Haridaspur-Paradip, Khurda Road (KUR)-Balangir, Naupada-Gunupur, Lanjigarh Road-Junagarh, and Bobbili-Saluru.
This initiative is part of a larger program by Indian Railways to implement the ‘Kavach’ system across the entire railway network, supported by an LTE-based communication backbone.
The ‘Kavach’ system is India’s indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system, designed to enhance safety by preventing signal passing at danger (SPAD), over-speeding, and train collisions.
Officials stated, “This system continuously monitors train movements and automatically applies brakes when necessary, significantly improving operational safety.”
It was emphasized that the installation of ‘Kavach’ on these routes will enhance automatic train protection and collision avoidance capabilities, thereby improving safety levels in train operations. Additionally, ‘Kavach’ enables safe and reliable train movement even in adverse weather conditions, such as dense fog, enhancing service reliability and punctuality.
The project is expected to benefit passenger and freight train operations through the East Coast Railway in Odisha and neighboring areas. It will strengthen Indian Railways’ ongoing mission to increase ‘Kavach’ coverage on high-traffic and strategically important routes.
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