The Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has approved the installation of the automatic block signalling (ABS) system along the 107-km Erode–Podanur section in the Salem division of Southern Railway.

This extension builds on ongoing work between Jolarpettai and Erode and aims to decongest the high-density corridor by reducing train headways and enhancing safety. The ABS system automatically manages train intervals by blocking track sections and halting trains that overshoot danger signals. Currently, it operates in the congested Chennai–Jolarpettai and Chennai–Gudur sections.

The project, estimated at Rs 144.96 crore, recently received ministry clearance and will help address traffic saturation on this B-route, which links North and South Kerala via Chennai. With traffic expected to rise 125 percent by 2026–27, officials say the upgrade is essential for operational efficiency. The route also serves key tourist and pilgrimage centres like Udagamandalam, Coimbatore, and Valparai, and feeds into the Nilgiri Mountain Railway.

Rail Vikas Nigam is already executing a Rs 239 crore ABS project on the Jolarpettai–Erode stretch.