Indigenous train protection system to enhance safety across key rail corridors connecting Haryana, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, strengthening tourism and business travel

New Delhi, June 15, 2026: Indian Railways has approved a ₹201 crore project for the installation of Kavach, India’s indigenous Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system, across the remaining Broad Gauge sections of the Ambala Division of Northern Railway.

The project will cover 811 route kilometres and forms part of Indian Railways’ nationwide programme to deploy Kavach with an LTE-based communication backbone, aimed at enhancing operational safety, reliability and network efficiency across critical rail routes.

The initiative is expected to benefit millions of passengers travelling through some of North India’s most important tourism, pilgrimage, business and freight corridors.

Key Highlights

• ₹201 crore sanctioned for Kavach deployment in Ambala Division
• 811 route kilometres to be covered across Northern Railway
• Key routes connecting Haryana, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh included
• Kavach designed to prevent train collisions and improve operational safety
• Supports safer travel on major tourism, pilgrimage and business corridors
• Part of Indian Railways’ broader modernization and safety enhancement programme
• LTE-based communication backbone to support advanced train protection systems

Major Routes Covered Under the Project

The sanctioned project will bring Kavach coverage to several strategically important railway sections, including:

• Ambala Cantonment–Ludhiana
• Kalka–Chandigarh–New Morinda–Sahnewal
• Sirhind–Daulatpur Chowk
• Rajpura–Bathinda–Shri Ganganagar
• Ludhiana–Dhuri–Jakhal

These routes serve as critical transportation links across Haryana, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, supporting both passenger mobility and freight movement.

The corridors connect major urban centres, industrial hubs, pilgrimage destinations and tourism gateways, making them among the most heavily utilized rail sections in northern India.

Kavach: India’s Indigenous Rail Safety Technology

Kavach is an advanced Automatic Train Protection system developed in India to improve rail safety through real-time monitoring and automatic intervention.

The technology helps prevent Signal Passing at Danger (SPAD), automatically applies brakes in unsafe situations, controls train speed in critical sections and significantly reduces the risk of train collisions.

By adding an automated safety layer to railway operations, Kavach enhances operational reliability while supporting higher efficiency across busy routes.

Boost for Tourism Connectivity Across North India

The Ambala Division serves as an important gateway to several of North India’s most visited tourism and pilgrimage destinations.

The Kalka-Chandigarh corridor acts as a key access route for travellers heading to Himachal Pradesh’s hill destinations, including Shimla and surrounding mountain tourism circuits. Meanwhile, routes across Punjab connect visitors to major spiritual destinations, heritage sites and cultural tourism centres.

Improved railway safety and reliability can encourage greater domestic travel, particularly among families, senior citizens, group travellers and pilgrimage tourists who rely heavily on rail transport.

As India witnesses sustained growth in domestic tourism, investments in railway modernization are becoming increasingly important for creating seamless and dependable travel experiences.

Benefits for Hospitality and Business Travel

Hotels, resorts, convention venues and tourism operators across Haryana, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh stand to benefit from enhanced rail infrastructure and improved passenger confidence.

Reliable transportation remains a critical factor influencing destination choice, especially for leisure travellers and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) events. Improved safety standards can strengthen regional connectivity and support higher visitor volumes across both urban and tourism-focused destinations.

The project is also expected to support freight movement, benefiting food supply chains, hospitality procurement networks and regional commerce that depend on efficient rail logistics.

Strengthening India’s Railway Modernization Agenda

The Ambala Division Kavach project is part of Indian Railways’ larger strategy to modernize critical corridors through advanced signalling, safety systems and digital communication infrastructure.

With Kavach deployment expanding across high-density and strategically important routes nationwide, Indian Railways continues to reinforce its commitment to safer, smarter and more efficient transportation networks that support tourism growth, economic development and passenger welfare.

For the hospitality and travel sectors, such investments represent a long-term boost to connectivity, accessibility and confidence in rail-based travel across some of India’s most important tourism and business regions.