Rail Safety to be Strengthened by Indigenous ‘Kavach’; Implemented Across 3,000 km Network—Railway Minister’s Major Statement in Parliament
New Delhi(The Uttam Hindu): Taking a significant step towards modernizing rail safety in the country, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw provided detailed information in Parliament regarding the progress of the indigenous Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system, ‘Kavach’. He stated that ‘Kavach’ was declared the National Automatic Train Protection (ATP) System in 2020, and since then, it has been rapidly implemented across the country.
According to the Railway Minister, approximately 3,000 kilometers of the rail network have so far been brought under the ambit of the ‘Kavach’ system, while work is currently in progress on nearly 20,000 kilometers of railway routes. Additionally, rapid progress is being made on plans to install this state-of-the-art technology in approximately 8,000 locomotives.
He clarified that ‘Kavach’ is not merely a device, but a comprehensive and complex safety system. It comprises an optical fiber network, telecom towers, data centers, and onboard equipment installed in trains. Its architecture is akin to a fully developed telecom infrastructure, designed to ensure the safe operation of trains.
The Railway Minister emphasized that passenger safety is the paramount priority for Indian Railways, and it is with this objective that the ‘Kavach’ system is being implemented on a fast-track basis. Significant strides have also been made in this direction within the North Eastern Railway zone. Here, the Ministry of Railways has sanctioned a project worth ₹492.21 crore for the installation of ‘Kavach’ across 1,441 route kilometers.
Under this project, several key railway sections across various divisions of the North Eastern Railway have been included. The work for installing the ‘Kavach’ system on major routes within the Lucknow, Varanasi, and Izzatnagar divisions has been sanctioned, a move that will further bolster rail safety in this region.
In the first phase, ‘Kavach’ will be installed on busy railway routes spanning 551 route kilometers. Under this initiative, the Sitapur City–Burhwal, Burhwal–Gorakhpur Cantt, Manak Nagar–Lucknow–Malhaur, and Barabanki–Burhwal sections of the Lucknow Division, along with the Gorakhpur Cantt–Goldinganj section of the Varanasi Division, have been included.
A total of 108 telecom towers will be installed as part of these projects, and the survey work for the same has already been completed. Currently, tower installation work is underway along the Chhapra–Barabanki main route, while 20 towers have already been erected in the Gorakhpur–Basti section.
This ambitious move by the Ministry of Railways will not only enhance the safety and reliability of train operations but will also significantly reduce the likelihood of future railway accidents. The indigenous technology 'Kavach' is being hailed as a milestone in the modernization of Indian Railways.