**Policy Summary: Indian Railways Sanctions ₹432 Crore Electronic Interlocking Project**
**Overview**
The Ministry of Railways has sanctioned an infrastructure project valued at ₹432 crore to modernize the signaling systems within the Asansol Division of the Eastern Railway. The project focuses on upgrading the High Density Network (HDN) and Highly Utilised Network (HUN) routes by replacing aging relay-based interlocking with state-of-the-art Electronic Interlocking (EI).
**Project Scope and Key Metrics**
* **Total Investment:** ₹432 crore.
* **Geographic Scope:** 27 stations/cabins within the Asansol Division.
* **Technical Upgrade:** Replacement of 28 relay-based interlocking installations, comprising 27 Panel Interlocking/Route Relay Interlocking (PI/RRI) units and one Intermediate Block Signaling (IBS) location.
* **Implementation Context:** This project is part of a broader Indian Railways initiative to deploy advanced signaling technologies on critical routes, including Kavach (Train Collision Avoidance System), Automatic Block Signalling (ABS), and Centralised Traffic Control (CTC).
**Objectives and Benefits**
The transition from relay-based to computer-based Electronic Interlocking is intended to achieve the following:
* **Safety and Reliability:** Strengthening railway safety protocols and reducing the margin for manual error.
* **Operational Efficiency:** Enhancing train operation efficiency and increasing line capacity on high-traffic sections.
* **Maintenance and Diagnosis:** Enabling faster fault diagnosis and simplifying maintenance procedures.
* **Flexibility:** Providing greater operational flexibility to manage one of the busiest sections of the rail network.
**Administrative Details**
* **Release Date:** June 30, 2026
* **Release ID:** 2279463
* **Issuing Authority:** PIB Delhi, Ministry of Railways
* **Associated Personnel:** Dharmendra Tewari, Dr. Nayan Solanki, Ritu Raj, and Manik Sharma.
Key Entities Referenced
Electronic Interlocking (EI) Project: A ₹432 crore signaling modernization initiative sanctioned by Indian Railways to replace legacy relay-based systems with computer-based technology.
Asansol Division, Eastern Railway: The specific railway administrative region and location where the interlocking project is being implemented across 27 stations and cabins.
Kavach: An advanced Indian automatic train protection and signaling system mentioned as a key component of the broader network safety upgrades.
High Density Network (HDN) and Highly Utilised Network (HUN): The specific categories of busy railway routes targeted for the implementation of advanced signaling and increased line capacity.
Ministry of Railways
Indian Railways Sanctions ₹432 Crore Electronic
Interlocking Project on High Density and Highly
Utilised Routes of Eastern Railway
Project to Replace Relay-based Interlocking with Modern
Electronic Interlocking at 27 Locations in Asansol Division
प्रव तथ: 30 JUN 2026 5:58PM by PIB Delhi
Indian Railways has sanctioned a project worth ₹432 crore for the replacement of relay-based interlocking
with Electronic Interlocking (EI) at 27 stations/cabins (including 1 IBS location) on the High Density
Network (HDN) and Highly Utilised Network (HUN) routes of Asansol Division of Eastern Railway.
The sanctioned work includes the replacement of 28 relay-based interlocking installations (27 PI/RRI and
1 IBS) with state-of-the-art Electronic Interlocking systems, significantly enhancing the safety, reliability
and operational efficiency of train operations.
The project forms part of Indian Railways' ongoing programme for the provision of Electronic
Interlocking on HDN/HUN routes where advanced signalling systems such as Kavach, Automatic Block
Signalling (ABS) and Centralised Traffic Control (CTC) are being implemented.
Electronic Interlocking is a modern signalling technology that replaces ageing relay-based systems with
computer-based interlocking, ensuring higher reliability, faster fault diagnosis, easier maintenance and
enhanced operational flexibility. The project will further strengthen railway safety while supporting higher
line capacity and more efficient train operations on one of the busiest sections of the network.
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Dharmendra Tewari/ Dr. Nayan Solanki/ Ritu Raj/ Manik Sharma
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