India’s Indigenous Train Protection System Kavach 4.0 Expands to 2,490 km on Key Routes
The Ministry of Railways has expanded the deployment of Kavach 4.0, an indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system, to 2,490 route kilometres across the Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Howrah rail corridors. This system, adopted as the national ATP system in July 2020, is designed to enhance safety by automatically applying brakes when the loco pilot fails to act, maintaining trains within speed limits, and ensuring safe operations even in adverse weather conditions.
In a written statement to the Rajya Sabha on Friday, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw provided details of the expansion. He noted that the first field trials of Kavach on passenger trains began in February 2016. Based on experience and an independent safety assessment by an Independent Safety Assessor (ISA), three firms were approved in 2018-19 to supply Kavach version 3.2.
Kavach is a critical component of India's railway modernisation efforts, aiming to reduce human error and prevent collisions. The system uses radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, trackside equipment, and onboard computers to monitor train movements and enforce safety protocols.
The expansion on the two busiest corridors marks a significant step towards nationwide adoption. The Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Howrah routes carry a substantial volume of passenger and freight traffic, making safety upgrades a priority. The government has set a target to equip 9,000 locomotives with Kavach over the next few years.
