Indian Railways has approved a comprehensive portfolio of ₹1,209 crore worth of major infrastructure projects across four key regions - Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and West Bengal. The approvals include the reconstruction of ₹139 crore for the Shastriya Road Over Bridge in Indore, a ₹405 crore signalling modernization project on Eastern Railway, a ₹493 crore doubling project for the Adipur-Bhuj section in Gujarat, and the construction of a ₹172 crore Somtane-Chikhli Chord Line on Central Railway. These strategic investments reflect Indian Railways' commitment to enhancing safety, increasing network capacity and improving operational efficiency across critical railway corridors.
The approved signalling modernization project encompasses 25 Panel Interlocking (PI)/Route Relay Interlocking (RRI) stations and 7 Intermediate Block Signalling (IBS) locations on High Density Network (HDN) and Highly Utilised Network (HUN) routes. The project will replace ageing relay-based systems with modern Electronic Interlocking (EI) technology at 32 stations across the network. Electronic Interlocking systems use advanced digital technology to control train movements with greater precision, significantly reducing the probability of signalling failures while improving system availability and operational efficiency. The Ministry of Railways reports that the upgrade will significantly improve reliability, reduce signalling failures and enable faster fault detection and restoration. This comprehensive upgrade will modernise signalling systems on critical routes to improve reliability, safety and operational performance across the network.
Many existing signalling installations on these routes are based on older relay technology and face operational limitations due to ageing infrastructure. Issues such as non-segregation of clean and dirty wiring, outdated power supply arrangements, improper earthing systems and ageing signalling equipment have led to higher maintenance requirements and increased failure risks. The legacy systems require frequent repairs and maintenance, affecting overall network efficiency and contributing to increased maintenance requirements and higher risk of failures. The modernization will replace these legacy systems with state-of-the-art Electronic Interlocking technology, offering significantly higher reliability, enhanced safety and faster fault detection capabilities. The modern signalling infrastructure will also support future technologies such as Kavach, Automatic Block Signalling and Centralised Traffic Control on high-density routes.
The ₹493 crore Adipur-Bhuj doubling project will double the 49-km section and provide two additional passenger train services in each direction every day, along with additional freight handling capacity of 12 million tonnes annually. Railway officials indicate the project would help decongest the corridor, improve operational efficiency and strengthen logistics connectivity in western Gujarat. The reconstruction of Indore's Shastriya Road Over Bridge involves construction of a modern four-lane bridge featuring a 72-metre camel-back superstructure, along with six-metre-wide service roads on both sides to facilitate local traffic movement. The project includes relocation and modernization of sewer infrastructure, installation of new electrical systems and other utility upgrades. These projects are expected to boost passenger convenience, strengthen freight movement and support economic growth across the targeted regions.
The ₹172 crore Somtane-Chikhli Chord Line on Central Railway will establish a direct rail connection between the Karjat and Roha routes, allowing freight trains to bypass the heavily congested Panvel Junction. At present, freight trains serving the Jawaharlal Nehru Port require engine reversals and additional operational movements through Panvel, resulting in delays and congestion. The chord line is expected to reduce freight train detention by nearly 110 minutes per trip and facilitate the movement of an additional nine million tonnes of freight annually. The project is expected to significantly improve logistics efficiency and strengthen connectivity to the country's busiest container port. These approvals reflect Indian Railways' continued focus on building future-ready infrastructure through capacity enhancement, technological modernization and improved multimodal connectivity across multiple regions of the country.
