Rail safety in Tamil Nadu is set to improve significantly as the Southern Railway progresses with the installation of the Kavach Train Collision Avoidance System on the Tiruchy-Tirunelveli corridor. This project, costing around Rs 110.78 crore, aims to prevent accidents using advanced automatic protection technology. The implementation of the Kavach system, covering the entire 316.7-kilometer route between Tiruchy and Tirunelveli, is a crucial safety enhancement on this important rail corridor.
The response from R. Siva, Senior Divisional Operations Manager and Public Information Officer, reveals plans for key upgrades within the Madurai Division. Alongside the Kavach system, there are proposals to modernize signaling systems for smoother and safer train operations. Additionally, two railway stations in the Madurai-Dindigul section are slated for upgrades with electronic interlocking systems, costing Rs 23.96 crore, to replace older systems and reduce manual errors in train handling.
The Madurai Division, which currently operates 97 railway stations, is making strides towards enhancing safety measures. While 59 stations have Road Relay Interlocking (RRI) systems and 38 have Electronic Interlocking systems, there are still 107 non-interlocked level crossing gates in need of safety upgrades. Data for 2024-25 indicates high traffic density on double-line trunk routes between Dindigul-Madurai and Madurai-Virudhunagar, with the Manamadurai-Rameswaram route showing the highest utilization among single-line sections.
Dayanand Krishnan, a railway activist, emphasizes the importance of additional measures like automatic block signaling to optimize route capacity and operational efficiency. He highlights the significance of such upgrades in fully leveraging existing infrastructure benefits. Krishnan also underscores the need for expanding short-distance suburban services like MEMU and Vande Metro trains to cater to growing passenger demand and improve connectivity to pilgrimage centers and other destinations like Thoothukudi, Rameswaram, and Pollachi.
