Indian Railways approves over Rs 765 crore for traction upgrades, digital communication overhaul across key corridors

New Delhi [India], March 10 (ANI): Indian Railways has sanctioned a series of key infrastructure and technology upgradation works totalling over Rs 765 crore to strengthen operations, expand line capacity, and modernise communication systems across critical sections of the network.
The sanctioned projects cover the upgradation of electric traction systems on two high-density freight and passenger corridors, and a major expansion of the optical fibre communication backbone across Vadodara and Mumbai Central Divisions of Western Railway.
Indian Railways has also sanctioned Rs 318.07 crore for upgrading the electric traction system on the 106-km Duvvada-Visakhapatnam-Vizianagaram section of East Coast Railway.
The section will be upgraded from the existing 1x25 kV system to a more advanced 2x25 kV system, enabling higher freight loading, improved speed potential, and enhanced reliability on this high-density corridor.
Located on the busy Howrah-Chennai route, this section plays a crucial role in transporting minerals and industrial goods from Odisha and Chhattisgarh to Visakhapatnam Port. The upgrade will strengthen power supply capacity, ensuring smoother freight movement and more efficient passenger train operations.
The project is part of a nationwide programme included in the 2024-25 Railway Budget aimed at modernising electric traction systems across Indian Railways.
Indian Railways has sanctioned Rs 259.39 crore for upgrading the electric traction system on the 126-km Raichur-Guntakal section spanning Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh under the Guntakal Division of South Central Railway.
The section will be upgraded from the existing 1x25 kV system to a more advanced 2x25 kV system, enabling higher train loads, improved speed potential, and greater operational reliability on this high-density corridor.
Located on the busy Mumbai-Chennai route, the upgrade will strengthen power supply capacity, facilitating smoother freight movement and faster passenger services, including Vande Bharat trains. The project will contribute to Indian Railways' mission of achieving 3,000 MT freight loading while enhancing overall network efficiency.
The work forms part of a nationwide programme included in the 2024-25 Railway Budget aimed at modernising electric traction systems across Indian Railways.
Indian Railways has sanctioned Rs 187.88 crore for strengthening the communication backbone in Vadodara and Mumbai Central Divisions of Western Railway.
The project provides for the installation of a 4x48 core Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) backbone architecture, ensuring enhanced bandwidth, network redundancy, and reliable support for LTE-based Kavach and other critical railway communication systems. This upgrade will strengthen the digital infrastructure required for the implementation of Kavach, the indigenous train collision avoidance system.
Under this work, optical fibre cables will be laid over 1,000 route kilometres, including 692 km in Vadodara Division and 308 km in Mumbai Division.
The project is part of a larger nationwide programme included in the 2024-25 Railway Budget aimed at expanding Kavach and modernising railway communication systems across the network.
These sanctioned works will enhance the efficiency and reliability of railway operations by improving traction power systems, strengthening the communication backbone infrastructure, and enabling higher freight loading capacity along major railway corridors.
The initiatives will also support the operation of modern trains, strengthen digital communication networks, and improve the overall performance of Indian Railways across key freight and passenger routes. (ANI)