Indian Railways to equip Kavach 4.0 across its key routes

Indian Railways is accelerating the deployment of the advanced Kavach 4.0 automatic train protection system across 10,000 locomotives and over 14,375 route kilometres (RKM) of tracks nationwide, the Railways stated on Friday. According to a press release by the Chief Public Relations Officer of Maligaon, Assam, bids for the installation of the Kavach system have already been invited.

"Of the total 14,735 RKM, bids have been opened for the installation on 1,105 RKM, with the remaining bids set to be opened by the end of November 2024," the release stated.

Additionally, Indian Railways has invited tenders for the installation of Kavach systems on 10,000 locomotives, with financial bids currently under evaluation.

All locomotives equipped with earlier versions of Kavach will be upgraded to the latest Kavach 4.0 system.

In the North East Frontier Railway region, approximately 1,966 RKM from Malda Town to Dibrugarh have been identified for the implementation of Kavach.

"In 2024-25, Indian Railways sanctioned the installation of the Kavach system across more than 30,000 RKM. Of this, bids have been invited for 14,375 RKM," the release stated.

Indian Railways also plans to invite bids for an additional 17,000 RKM in 2025-26, with up to 30,000 RKM scheduled for 2026-28.

The advanced Kavach 4.0 system was approved by the Research Designs and Standards Organisation in July 2024.

Following successful trials, the system was implemented on a 108-km stretch between Kota and Sawai Madhopur in the West Central Railway. Trials are also underway on an 84-km section between Ahmedabad and Vadodara in the Western Railway.

To enhance safety and efficiency in train operations, Indian Railways aims to achieve a faster rollout of Kavach across all major routes by 2030, the release added.

In recent years, Indian Railways has undertaken multiple initiatives to reduce train accidents.

By deploying Kavach 4.0, Indian Railways reaffirms its commitment to making rail travel safer for passengers. This initiative is part of a broader plan to strengthen the railway network and enhance safety measures across the country.