Another big boost for Indian Railways, it has cleared a Rs 270 crore plan to install Kavach, the country’s home-grown train collision avoidance system, across 631 route kilometres of the East Coast Railway zone, the Ministry of Railways said.
The approval covers six sections spread across Odisha and adjoining areas, marking the latest expansion of the indigenous safety technology that has been steadily rolled out across the network over the past few years.
Sections identified for rollout
The project will be implemented on the Baghuapal–Budhapank, Haridaspur–Paradeep, Khurda Road–Balangir, Naupada–Gunupur, Lanjigarh Road–Junagarh and Bobbili–Salur sections. These routes carry a mix of passenger and freight traffic and connect several industrial and commercial centres within the East Coast Railway jurisdiction.
According to the ministry, the work will be carried out as part of a wider Kavach deployment programme that relies on an LTE-based communication backbone, officials said, rather than as a standalone installation.
How Kavach works
Kavach is an Automatic Train Protection system developed within India. Its primary function is to prevent signal passing at danger, curb overspeeding and stop train collisions by continuously tracking train movements and applying brakes automatically when a risk is detected, without waiting for driver intervention.
Railway officials said the system also helps maintain safer train operations in low-visibility conditions such as dense fog, a recurring problem on several routes during winter months that often forces speed restrictions and causes delays.
Expected benefits for Odisha corridors
Once operational, the system is expected to improve both safety margins and service reliability on the identified stretches, benefiting freight movement as well as passenger services running through Odisha and neighbouring regions.
Stocks and companies in focus
Key companies that are involved in Kavach manufacturing would be in focus. These include HBL Engineering, Kernex Microsystems, Quadrant Future Tek, among others. Key defence manufacturer, Bharat Electronics, is also a key supplier of electronics and communication systems used in safety technologies such as Kavach.
Other key Indian railway stocks that may be in spotlight include rail infrastructure and coach manufacturers. The top performers amongst the railway sector stocks include Container Corporation of India, NTPC, BEML, and Bharat Heavy Electricals.