Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav said that Kavach, an automatic train protection system developed indigenously, has been implemented in three sections in the South Central Railway zone along with 139 locomotives. Responding to questions from Congress MPs Benny Behanan and Kumbakudi Sudhakaran, Vaishnaw stated that Kavach has been deployed on 1,465 route km and 139 locomotives on the South Central Railway. The sections where Kavach is operational include Lingamapalli-Vikarabad-Wadi and Vikarabad-Bidar section (265 Rkm); Manmad-Mudkhed-Dhone-Guntkal section (959 Rkm); and Bidar-Parbhani section (241 Rkm).
How Kavach operates
Vaishnaw explained that Kavach is a technologically advanced automatic train protection system that assists the loco pilot in adhering to specified speed limits. It automatically applies brakes if the loco pilot fails to do so and ensures safe train operation during adverse weather conditions.
Adopted as a national ATP system in July 2020 by Indian Railways, Kavach underwent field trials on passenger trains in February 2016. Three Indian OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) were approved in 2018-19 for the supply of Kavach. Vaishnaw mentioned ongoing efforts to develop more OEMs to enhance capacity and expand the implementation of Kavach.
Kavach tenders
In addition to the operational sections, Kavach tenders have been awarded for the Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Howrah corridors, covering approximately 3,000 route km, with work in progress. The Indian Railways has also initiated preparatory works, including survey, detailed project reports (DPR), and detailed estimates for another 6,000 route km.
Other safety measures
Regarding prioritising basic safety measures, Vaishnaw highlighted various steps taken by the Indian Railways, including the introduction of electronic interlocking systems, interlocking of level crossing gates, complete track circuiting of stations, and equipping locomotives with vigilance control devices to ensure loco pilot alertness.