Railway infrastructure across Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Bihar is set for a major upgrade, with Indian Railways clearing projects worth ₹675 crore. The plans range from expanding Kavach 4.0 coverage in Moradabad to adding a new freight bypass near Adra and upgrading signalling at 21 stations in Samastipur.
The three projects are aimed at making train operations safer, easing freight movement and improving signalling infrastructure across the three states.
Rs.170 cr Kavach 4.0 project in Moradabad Division
Indian Railways has sanctioned ₹170 crore to deploy Kavach Version 4.0 on the remaining 712 route kilometres of Moradabad Division under Northern Railway.
Kavach is India’s indigenous Automatic Train Protection system. It is designed to improve train safety by helping prevent Signal Passing at Danger (SPAD), controlling train speeds and automatically applying brakes when required.
The latest approval will expand Kavach coverage across the remaining identified sections of the division and add another layer of protection for train operations.
Rs.272 cr bypass line Between Adra and Joychandipahar
In West Bengal, Indian Railways has approved ₹272 crore for an 11-km bypass line between the Adra end and Joychandipahar under South Eastern Railway.
The bypass will provide a separate route for freight movement and connect with the upcoming third line. It is expected to support around 6.065 freight rakes per day as industrial traffic grows.
The project will also help reduce operational bottlenecks and delays caused by surface crossings on the existing section.
Bypass to support freight capacity
The new line is expected to facilitate an additional 8.88 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of traffic after completion.
The project is also part of Indian Railways’ Energy, Mineral and Cement Corridor and is aimed at supporting the movement of industrial commodities while improving freight efficiency.
The existing network has been operating at around 71% utilisation, with freight movement affected by surface-crossing conflicts. The bypass is expected to ease these constraints and create more capacity for future traffic growth.
Rs.233 cr signalling upgrade in Samastipur
In Bihar, Indian Railways has approved ₹233 crore for Electronic Interlocking at 21 stations in Samastipur Division of East Central Railway.
The project will replace the existing Panel Interlocking systems with modern Electronic Interlocking technology.
The computer-based system is expected to improve signalling reliability, make fault detection easier and support smoother maintenance. It will also provide the upgraded signalling infrastructure required for the implementation of Kavach in the division.