KAVACH 4.0 Rolls Out Across 1,465 kms of Indian Railways

Indian Railways has successfully deployed its indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system, KAVACH, over 1,465 Route Kms (Rkms) across the South Central Railway network. This achievement is a major step in realizing the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat (Self-reliant India), a goal set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

Developed by the Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO) in collaboration with Indian industries, the South Central Railway has been a key partner in implementing the KAVACH system, starting from its development phase.

KAVACH is designed to enhance safety on the railway network by automatically applying brakes if a locomotive pilot fails to respond in time. The system has been installed on 144 locomotives across various sections of South Central Railway, providing real-time updates on movement authority, auto-whistling at level crossings, and collision avoidance. Additionally, KAVACH features an emergency SOS function in case of mishaps, ensuring enhanced safety protocols for passengers and crew.

A major advancement in the KAVACH journey is the approval of KAVACH 4.0, which will soon be installed on 10,000 locomotives across the national railway network. This upgraded version is expected to further strengthen safety measures and accelerate the system's nationwide installation. The latest iteration, KAVACH 4.0, has already been commissioned for use across 63 Rkms of the Sanatnagar-Vikarabad section, while the older KAVACH 3.2 system continues to be deployed in several other sections, including Nagarsol-Mudkhed, Secunderabad-Kurnool, and Bidar-Parbhani.

The timeline of KAVACH’s development highlights its journey from a pilot project in 2014-15 to a national standard. Following rigorous trials and refinement, the system was officially declared the national ATP system in July 2020.