Indian Railways Approves ₹398.36 Crore OFC Backbone Project for Western Railway
Indian Railways has approved a major infrastructure project worth ₹398.36 crore to strengthen its communication network across the Western Railway. The project involves the deployment of a high-capacity optical fibre cable (OFC) backbone in the Ahmedabad and Ratlam divisions, aimed at enhancing digital connectivity and supporting modern signalling systems.
Under the plan, a total of 1,929 route kilometres (RKm) of 4×48 OFC backbone will be installed. This includes 1,456 RKm in the Ahmedabad Division and 473 RKm in the Ratlam Division. The initiative is expected to significantly boost the capacity, reliability, and efficiency of railway communication systems in the region.
The project is part of a larger national programme titled “Provision of Kavach with communication backbone of Long Term Evolution (LTE) on balance routes of Indian Railways (Umbrella Work 2024–25).” This umbrella programme has a sanctioned cost of ₹27,693 crore under the Works Programme 2024–25. Additionally, a sub-umbrella allocation of ₹2,800 crore has been earmarked specifically for Western Railway, under which this project has been sanctioned.
A key objective of the project is to support the implementation of Kavach, India’s indigenous automatic train protection system. The enhanced OFC backbone will facilitate seamless and high-speed data transmission, which is critical for modern signalling and safety technologies.
Railway officials said the upgraded communication infrastructure will play a crucial role in improving operational efficiency, ensuring safer train operations, and enabling better coordination across railway networks. The project is also expected to benefit both passenger and freight services through improved reliability and real-time data exchange.
This development marks another significant step in the ongoing digital transformation and modernization drive of Indian Railways, reinforcing its focus on safety, innovation, and future-ready infrastructure.
