Indian Railways Approves Multiple Safety and Infrastructure Projects

The Ministry of Railways approved a series of infrastructure and safety projects on September 19, 2026, aimed at modernizing the national rail network. Key safety initiatives include the deployment of Kavach Version 4.0, an indigenous Automatic Train Protection system, across 607.7 route kilometers of the Lucknow Division of Northeastern Railway for 252 crore rupees. To support this, the ministry authorized 209 crore rupees for Electronic Interlocking at seven stations in the Solapur Division of Central Railway to replace conventional relay-based systems.

Infrastructure upgrades include a 142 crore rupee project to modernize the electric traction system on the Savalyapuram-Guntur section of the South Coast Railway, covering 146 track kilometers. Additionally, the ministry approved a 133.2295 crore rupee four-lane Road Over Bridge on the Udhna-Ukai Songadh section of the Western Railway. This bridge project is funded equally between Indian Railways and the state government and is designed to reduce road traffic interference with rail operations.

In a broader effort to expand capacity, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs recently approved three railway multitracking projects worth 10,783 crore rupees across five states. Announced by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, these projects aim to increase freight-handling capacity by 2029-30 under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan.