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New Delhi: The Ministry of Railways has taken an important step towards enhancing passenger safety by commissioning Kavach, an indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system, on the Vadodara-Nagda section of the Delhi-Mumbai route. As per the officials, the move is expected to reduce train collisions and over-speeding, making rail travel safer for millions of passengers.

The Vadodara-Nagda section, which falls under the Western Railway (WR) zone, has been equipped with Kavach over a total of 224.51 route km, covering Vadodara to Mangal Mahudi (122.5 Rkm) and Panchpipliya to Nagda (102.01 Rkm). The officials stated that the work on the remaining Mangal Mahudi-Panchpipliya section is underway and expected to be completed soon, along with automatic signalling.

The development is termed a major achievement in the Indian Railways' efforts to modernize its safety systems and reduce accidents. Kavach is a state-of-the-art electronic system that provides protection by preventing trains from passing signals at red and avoiding collisions.

According to information, the Indian Railways has made big progress in implementing Kavach, with over 738 route km already operational on the Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Howrah routes. The system is expected to be implemented across 15,512 route km of the Golden Quadrilateral, Golden Diagonal, and High-Density Network by 2030.

How Kavach Works

Kavach uses a combination of technologies, including RFID tags, radio towers, and onboard computers, to continuously monitor train movements and prevent accidents. The system automatically applies brakes if a train is approaching a red signal or exceeding speed limits. It also provides real-time information to loco pilots, enabling them to take corrective action.

“Kavach is a highly technology-intensive system that requires safety certification of the highest order……The implementation of Kavach will significantly enhance passenger safety and strengthen safe and reliable train operations across the region,” said Railway officials.

Benefits Of Kavach

Kavach, the indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection system, offers multiple safety benefits. It prevents train collisions by automatically applying brakes if a train is approaching a red signal or exceeding speed limits. The system continuously monitors train speeds, effectively reducing speeding and enhancing passenger safety.

Further, by providing real-time information to loco pilots, Kavach enables them to take corrective action, further bolstering safety measures. Additionally, the system strengthens safe and reliable train operations across the region, improving overall reliability and minimizing disruptions.