Railway safety system 'Kavach' expanded to 1,465 route kms

New Delhi, Jul 25: The Indian Railways' indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system, known as 'Kavach,' has been deployed across 1,465 route kilometres and installed on 144 locomotives within the South Central Railway zone, according to Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw. The Minister provided this information in a written reply to the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

So far, the implementation of the Kavach system has involved an expenditure of Rs 1,216.77 crore. For the fiscal year 2024-25, an allocation of Rs 1,112.57 crore has been earmarked for further deployment of this technology.

'Kavach' is an advanced anti-collision system designed to enhance train safety by automatically applying brakes if the loco pilot fails to do so within specified speed limits. This system is particularly beneficial during adverse weather conditions and in preventing potential collisions by bringing the train to a halt. The technology has been certified with the highest level of Safety Integrity Level - SIL4 by an Independent Safety Assessor, indicating its reliability in reducing the risk of train collisions on block sections and running lines at stations.

Minister Vaishnaw also detailed the ongoing implementation progress of the Kavach system on major rail corridors, including the Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Howrah routes, covering approximately 3,000 route kilometres. Key achievements include the laying of optical fibre cables over 4,275 km, installation of 364 telecom towers, deployment of 285 units of Kavach equipment at stations, installation of 319 units in locomotives, and the setting up of trackside equipment across 1,384 route kilometres.

Furthermore, the Railways has approved the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and Detailed Estimate for expanding the Kavach system to an additional 6,000 route kilometres. To facilitate this expansion and scale-up the implementation, trials involving multiple Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) are currently in various stages. This initiative underscores Indian Railways' commitment to enhancing passenger safety and modernising railway infrastructure with cutting-edge technology.