North Central Railway Records Major Achievements in Passenger Services, Kavach 4.0 Safety and Green Energy Initiatives

North Central Railway (NCR) has reported significant achievements in passenger services, railway safety, train punctuality, freight movement and renewable energy, highlighting its ongoing efforts to strengthen railway infrastructure and improve operational efficiency. The achievements were shared by North Central Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Dr Shivam Sharma during a press conference held at Tundla.

The briefing covered special train arrangements during the festive season, improvements in train punctuality, the expansion of the indigenous Kavach automatic train protection system and the increasing use of solar energy at railway installations.

1,524 Regular and Special Trains Operated on Diwali

North Central Railway made extensive operational arrangements to manage the additional passenger rush during Diwali and the ongoing festive season.

On November 8, Diwali day, a total of 424 regular trains and 1,100 festival special train services were operated across the North Central Railway zone, including special trains owned by North Central Railway and other railway zones, according to the information shared during the press conference.

To ensure uninterrupted train operations and effective passenger management, round-the-clock control rooms were established across all three divisions. Senior railway officials were deployed to supervise operations, monitor passenger movement and coordinate operational requirements.

North Central Railway has also planned to operate a total of 1,100 trips of special trains owned by the zone between November 1 and November 30, 2026, to facilitate passenger movement during the festive period.

These arrangements are aimed at reducing congestion, improving connectivity and ensuring that passengers can travel comfortably during the peak festive season.

Train Punctuality Improves from 40% to Over 90%

One of the major achievements highlighted during the briefing was the substantial improvement in train punctuality across North Central Railway.

According to the railway administration, train punctuality, which earlier remained around 40 per cent at certain times, has now improved to more than 90 per cent following infrastructure development and operational improvements.

The commissioning of third railway lines at several locations and the commencement of operations on the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) have contributed significantly to improving railway operations.

The availability of additional railway lines has helped reduce congestion on existing tracks, while the diversion of freight traffic to dedicated freight corridors has improved the movement of goods trains.

This has enabled passenger trains to operate with fewer operational constraints, contributing to better punctuality across the network.

The improved movement of freight trains has also strengthened the overall capacity of the railway system, supporting more efficient utilisation of railway infrastructure.

Kavach 4.0 Commissioned Across 794 Route Kilometres

North Central Railway has also made significant progress in strengthening railway safety through the deployment of Kavach, India’s indigenous Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system.

The railway has successfully commissioned Kavach (SIL-4) over a total of 9 route kilometres covering Tundla Yard, the Tundla–Hirangaon automatic section and the Tundla–Mitawali automatic section.

With the installation of Kavach at Tundla Yard, a continuous stretch of 394 route kilometres from Chipiyana to Bhaupur has now come under Kavach protection.

During the current financial year, against the annual target of 556 route kilometres, commissioning work has been completed over 524 route kilometres. With this achievement, the total commissioned Kavach network under North Central Railway has reached 794 route kilometres.

The commissioned network also includes the 391-kilometre continuous stretch between Chipiyana and Panki Dham.

Technical Integration and Safety Improvements at Tundla

Several important technical activities have also been completed as part of the Kavach deployment at Tundla.

Successful interfacing has been carried out at Tundla station and LSC-49 through protocol converters with Hitachi Electronic Interlocking (EI) systems.

Drone surveys, Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) surveys and Radio Frequency (RF) surveys have also been completed. A total of 636 RFID tags have been installed as part of the system implementation.

Additionally, issues related to mode degradation and locomotive pilot acknowledgement across 613 routes in Tundla Yard have been resolved.

These improvements are expected to facilitate smoother and safer train operations in both UP and DOWN directions.

Kavach is designed to enhance railway safety by helping prevent train collisions and automatically applying brakes when necessary, subject to the system’s operational conditions and functionality.

Solar Energy Capacity Expanded at Tundla and Firozabad

North Central Railway is also expanding its renewable energy infrastructure as part of its efforts to reduce conventional electricity consumption, lower operating expenditure and minimise carbon emissions.

At Tundla, an additional 60 kilowatt-peak (kWp) solar capacity has recently been installed, taking the total installed capacity to 605 kWp.

Between April and October 2026, solar installations at Tundla generated approximately 2.8 lakh units of electricity. This resulted in financial savings of ₹12.8 lakh for the railway and an estimated reduction of 236 metric tonnes in carbon emissions.

The railway is also installing an additional 250 kWp solar power plant at Tundla to further increase renewable energy generation.

Solar Energy Achievements at Firozabad

At Firozabad, an additional solar capacity of 50 kWp has been commissioned, taking the total installed capacity to 145 kWp.

During April–October 2026, solar installations at Firozabad generated approximately 42,000 units of electricity.

The renewable energy generation resulted in financial savings of ₹2.8 lakh and an estimated reduction of 36 metric tonnes in carbon emissions.

Solar Energy Performance: Tundla and Firozabad

Focus on Modernisation, Safety and Sustainable Operations

The achievements outlined by North Central Railway reflect its efforts to improve passenger convenience while strengthening operational efficiency and railway safety.

The expansion of Kavach, improved punctuality, additional festive train services and increasing solar power generation represent important components of its infrastructure modernisation programme.

With train punctuality crossing 90 per cent, Kavach commissioned across 794 route kilometres and renewable energy capacity expanding at Tundla and Firozabad, North Central Railway is focusing on a combination of technological upgrades, capacity enhancement and environmental sustainability.

These initiatives are expected to contribute to safer train operations, improved passenger experiences, more efficient freight movement and reduced dependence on conventional energy sources.