Deadline to install 'Kavach' on Mumbai-Delhi-Kolkata route extended to Dec

Railway Board has extended its deadline for the installation of Automatic Train Protection System, Kavach, on Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi Kolkata route from March to December 2025.

"Track side equipment for Kavach Version 4.0 on the 3,000 Km route of New Delhi-Mumbai and New Delhi-Kolkata will be completed by Dec, 2025 and work on the remaining section is underway," budget document, 'Railways estimates for Revised Estimates 2024-25 and Budget Estimates 2025-26' shared by the Board on February 1, 2025 said. 

 

The Railway Ministry had on August 7 last year said that Kavach work would be completed on the route by March, 2025.

"Indian Railways has adopted indigenously developed Kavach as National ATP system in 2020 and after indigenous development specification for Kavach Version 4.0 was approved in July '24. Work for the installation of Kavach on 10,000 locomotives has already started," the budget document said.

According to railways, Kavach is a complex technology with multiple components such as RFID tags meant to be installed along the track length, telecom towers throughout the section, optical fibre cable along the track, and Loco Kavach on each and every locomotive.

"Kavach installation work is going on across all Indian Railway networks on a mission mode. The latest version, Kavach, ie, 4.0 was approved by the Research Design and Standards Organization (RDSO) in July 2024.

"Since it is a very complex technology ... its installation is time taking. However, we are much faster as compared to other developed countries," a railway source said.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw while addressing the media recently on budget 2025-26 said that the entire rail network will be covered by Kavach in the next six years.

Vaishnaw had earlier said that developed countries like Germany, France, Italy, which are one-fourth the size of India, took over 20 years to operationalise automatic train protection systems across their rail network, but Indian railways will achieve it in less time.

Kavach aids the Loco Pilot in running of trains within specified speed limits by automatic application of brakes in case Loco Pilot fails to do so and also helps trains run safely during inclement weather.

On December 20 last year, Vaishnaw informed the Rajya Sabha in a written reply that the first field trials on the passenger trains were started in February 2016, and based on the experience and Independent Safety Assessment of the system, three firms were approved in 2018-19 for supply of Kavach Ver 3.2.

"Based on deployment of Kavach version 3.2 on 1465 RKm on south central Railway, a lot of experience was gained. Using that further improvements were made. Finally, Kavach specification version 4.0 was approved by RDSO on 16.07.2024," Vaishnaw said.

He added, "Kavach version 4.0 covers all the major features required for the diverse railway network. This is a significant milestone in safety for Indian Railways. Within a short period, IR has developed, tested and started deploying the Automatic Train Protection System.