Kavach collision-avoidance system to be installed in Ernakulam-Shornur rail corridor
The Hindu
Southern Railway invites tenders for Kavach system installation in Kerala's Ernakulam-Shornur rail corridor to enhance safety and capacity.
In a first for Kerala, the Southern Railway has invited tenders to install the Kavach collision-avoidance system in the 107-km Ernakulam-Shornur rail corridor, at an estimated cost of ₹68 crore.
The double-track corridor is the most saturated in the State, catering to trains that converge at Ernakulam from both Kottayam and Alappuzha. “The inadequate track capacity of the stretch has been accentuated by numerous curves that slow trains down. Considering these factors, the Railways has recently focused on installing an automatic signal system and adding a third track to the Ernakulam-Shornur corridor,” official sources said.
The Kavach system is estimated to be installed within 540 days, with the tender submission deadline set for October 24. It automatically activates the train’s braking system if the driver fails to adhere to speed restrictions or stop at a red signal. Besides, it prevents collisions between two locomotives equipped with functional Kavach systems.
The automatic train protection system, which was developed by the Research Design and Standards Organisation in collaboration with the Indian industry, has been installed on 1,465 km of the country’s 68,000-km rail network, with works ongoing on an additional 3,000 km. Earlier this year, permission was granted to extend coverage to 7,228 km. Based on this, Southern Railway’s Signal and Telecommunication wing floated tenders for the 107-km rail corridor between Ernakulam and Shornur junctions.
In June, the KRDCL-RVNL joint venture was awarded the contract to install an automatic signal system on the 103-km Ernakulam Junction-Vallathol Nagar rail corridor. The ₹156.47-crore project is set to be completed in 750 days and will be the first corridor in the State to have such a system. The upgrade will boost track capacity, allowing for more number of trains to operate on the stretch.
Following this, a third track would be constructed, along with the doubling of the track in the one-km triangle connecting Vallathol Nagar, Shoranur, and the railway cabin on the Palakkad side, the sources added.
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