India’s Digital Transformation Strategy for Rail Presented at WDF

At the recent Wayside Digitalisation Forum (WDF), Dr Shobhan Chowdhury, Advisor for R&D and Science & Technology at the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and formerly with Indian Railways, delivered a keynote outlining India’s rapid push for digital transformation in its railway sector.

Dr Chowdhury described the scale, challenges and strategic impetus behind India’s plan to modernise one of the world’s largest rail networks.

Indian Railways consists of approximately 401,000 kilometres of track. The network serves more than 10,000 passenger trains per day, while freight volumes are in the tens of millions of tonnes. The network is currently under pressure to expand and meet growing capacity demands. To do so, Indian Railways is developing dedicated freight corridors, alongside constructing its first high-speed rail line.

Dr Chowdhury cited annual infrastructure spends of about 30 billion USD for new projects, and noted plans to add 40,000 kilometres to the network in an 8-10 year period. Specifically, India’s ambitions are tied to its national anniversary year: by 2047, it aspires to a ‘developed India’ status — a goal that must be supported by a modern rail network.

The rail network’s digital transformation is central to this goal. Dr Chowdhury structured India’s digital transformation into short-term and long-term goals. Short-term goals included:

• Multi-tracking of busy corridors, with electrification already completed (except for heritage lines)
• Modernisation of signalling
• Digital systems, data-driven maintenance, IoT sensors, online freight/consignment management

Long-term goals included:

• Dedicated high-density corridors and eventual high-speed rail, with widespread digital readiness for 2047
• Smart systems, digital signalling, network connectivity, modular architecture, and cyber-security with “Make in India” manufacturing
• Reducing logistics costs from ~16% of GDP to ~7%

Dr Chowdhury stressed that the transformation is not only technological but also organisational and human: training multi-skilled staff, enabling data-driven maintenance, and operating online processes for freight, customer services and operations.

Focus on Signalling: The Role of KAVACH

Dr Chowdhury emphasised the role of digital signalling and automatic train protection in improving the safety and efficiency of the network. Specifically, the country is implementing its indigenous system, KAVACH.

Kavach is India’s automatic train protection (ATP) / anti-collision system, developed by the Research Designs & Standards Organisation (RDSO) in collaboration with Indian vendors. It has achieved Safety Integrity Level 4 (SIL‐4) certification and has been adopted as the national ATP system.

It functions by placing wayside RFID tags on the track, with corresponding units installed on board locomotives. The system continuously monitors train movements, location and speed, and can apply automatic brakes if required.

Dr Chowdhury noted several key features of this system, including the prevention of passing signal at danger (SPAD), overspeed protection, protection in yard/loop lines, cab-display of signal aspects, backward compatibility, data connectivity, and interoperability. He also noted a cost advantage relative to other systems, quoting approximately 1/5 the cost of ETCS per km.

Currently, only a few thousand kilometres have been equipped with this system. Dr Chowdhury acknowledged that deployment is challenging due to infrastructure dependencies, including requirements for optical fibre, telecom towers, trackside equipment, and locomotives fitted with the system. He stressed the need for gradual layering rather than a ‘big bang’ overhaul.

If fully realised, India’s rail modernisation could offer a blueprint for transforming a large, legacy network into a digitally managed, high-capacity system. Enhanced safety, improved freight efficiency, and the integration of indigenous technology would not only strengthen the national transport backbone but also position India as a global example of large-scale digital railway transformation.