Madurai, March 19 (IANS) Rail safety in Tamil Nadu is set for a major boost as the Southern Railway moves forward with the implementation of the Kavach Train Collision Avoidance System on the Tiruchy-Tirunelveli corridor.

The project, aimed at preventing accidents through advanced automatic protection technology, has received approval with an estimated outlay of Rs 110.78 crore. The development comes to light through a Right to Information (RTI) query filed by railway activist Dayanand Krishnan, which sheds light on both safety initiatives and infrastructure status within the Madurai Division.

The response, issued by R. Siva, Senior Divisional Operations Manager and Public Information Officer, outlines key upgrades planned across the division.

As per the RTI reply, the Kavach system will cover the entire 316.7 route kilometres between Tiruchy and Tirunelveli, forming a crucial safety layer on one of the region’s important rail corridors.

Alongside this, the division has proposed modernisation of signalling systems to ensure smoother and safer train operations. In a parallel development, two railway stations in the Madurai-Dindigul section are set to be upgraded with electronic interlocking systems for Rs 23.96 crore. This transition is expected to replace older systems and significantly reduce the chances of manual errors in train handling.

The Madurai Division currently operates 97 railway stations. Of these, 59 stations are equipped with Road Relay Interlocking (RRI) systems, while 38 stations have more advanced Electronic Interlocking systems. However, the division still has 107 non-interlocked level crossing gates, indicating scope for further safety upgrades.

Track utilisation data for 2024-25 shows that the double-line trunk routes between Dindigul-Madurai and Madurai-Virudhunagar are witnessing high traffic density.

Among single-line sections, the Manamadurai-Rameswaram route recorded the highest utilisation at 77.5 per cent, while other branch lines continue to operate below 50 per cent capacity.

Krishnan noted that while the introduction of Kavach is a welcome step, additional measures such as automatic block signalling would be crucial to fully optimise route capacity and enhance operational efficiency.

He stressed that without such upgrades, the benefits of existing infrastructure may not be fully realised.

He also pointed out that the Madurai Division caters to several prominent pilgrimage centres and growing passenger demand, and called for the expansion of short-distance suburban services such as MEMU and Vande Metro trains.

Improving connectivity to destinations like Thoothukudi, Rameswaram and Pollachi, he said, would help decongest long-distance trains and provide better travel options for daily commuters.

–IANS

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