Southern Railways Awards ₹311 Crore Kavach Contract to Kernex-VRRC.

The Hyderabad-based Kernex-VRRC consortium has received a significant boost with Southern Railway (SR) issuing a Letter of Acceptance (LOA) for a ₹311 crore project to implement Kavach, India's indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system.

The comprehensive project is divided into two key segments within Southern Railway's Chennai Division.

Firstly, for a cost of ₹173 crore, Kavach will be deployed across the crucial Chennai-Gudur, Chennai-Arakonam, and Arakonam-Renigunta sections. This deployment aims to enhance safety and prevent train collisions on these busy routes.

Secondly, the consortium has also secured an order worth ₹138 crore for the Arakonam-Jolarpettai section of the Chennai Division. This part of the project will not only include the Kavach system but also involve the establishment of a robust backbone network comprising towers and 48-fiber Optical Fiber Cable (OFC), as confirmed by the company in an announcement to the National Stock Exchange.

Kernex Micro Systems, a key player in the joint venture, holds a 60 percent share in the consortium, as stated in the official release. This major contract underscores the growing adoption of the Kavach system across Indian Railways to bolster rail safety and operational efficiency.