Indian Railways has commissioned the latest version of its indigenous Automatic Train Protection system, Kavach 4.0, for the first time on South Central Railway (SCR), according to PIB.
The upgrade from Kavach 3.2 to Version 4.0 has been completed over 108 Route Kilometres on the Malkajgiri-Kamareddi section of the Hyderabad Division, marking the first deployment of the latest version on the railway network.
Kavach 4.0 incorporates technology upgrades based on the experience of operating Kavach 3.2 over 1,465 Route Kilometres on South Central Railway. The newer system is designed to improve train positioning, communication and integration with existing signalling infrastructure.
What is new in Kavach 4.0?
The latest version offers greater location accuracy, allowing the system to determine a train’s position more precisely. It also provides better visibility of signal aspects in larger railway yards, which can improve situational awareness for train operations.
Another upgrade is a station-to-station Kavach interface using Optical Fibre Cable (OFC), strengthening communication between different parts of the system.
Kavach 4.0 can also directly interface with existing Electronic Interlocking Systems. This allows the protection system to work more closely with the signalling infrastructure already deployed across railway sections.
Indian Railways has developed, tested and is now deploying the system as an Automatic Train Protection technology, with the latest version designed to meet the varying operational and technological requirements of its nationwide network.
How Kavach helps improve train safety
Kavach is designed to assist loco pilots in keeping trains within prescribed speed limits and can automatically apply brakes when necessary if the loco pilot does not take the required action.
The system is intended to help prevent Signal Passing at Danger (SPAD), manage train speeds during critical situations and reduce the risk of collisions. It is also designed to support safer train operations during difficult weather conditions.
As a safety-critical railway technology, Kavach requires the highest level of safety certification, Safety Integrity Level-4 (SIL-4).
Large-scale deployment of the system also requires a network of supporting infrastructure. This includes Station Kavach installations at stations and block sections, RFID tags along the tracks, telecommunication towers and Optical Fibre Cable connectivity.
Locomotives operating on the network also need to be equipped with Loco Kavach for the system to function across the railway section.
The commissioning of Kavach 4.0 on South Central Railway provides Indian Railways with a more advanced version of its indigenous train protection technology and is expected to support wider deployment across different types of railway operations and infrastructure.