Kavach 4.0 to Enhance Safety Across 15,000 km of Key Rail Routes

Speedy Summary

• Indian Railways has invited bids to implement Kavach version 4.0 on approximately 15,000 km across the Golden Quadrilateral,Golden Diagonal,and other high-density routes; contracts for 14,954 km have already been awarded.
• Kavach is an indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system, with South Central Railway (SCR) having earlier deployed version 3.2 on 1,465 km and playing a key role in developing subsequent improvements to the system.
• Version 4.0 was approved last year by Lucknow-based Research designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO), featuring enhanced location accuracy, better signal data at larger yards, and improved station-to-station interface via optical fiber cables (OFC).
• The Mathura-Kota section covering 324 km is the first route commissioned under version 4.0 after clearance by the Autonomous Safety Assessor in July this year; trials were extensively conducted beforehand.
• Parallel projects include plans to equip about 10,000 locomotives with Kavach system upgrades-69 loco sheds are ready for adoption so far-and SCR intends to install updated systems on an additional combined total of over 3,000 km (new installations plus upgrades).
• the cost per kilometer for trackside equipment including stations installation is approximately ₹50 lakh while locomotive installation costs ₹80 lakh each. Total expenditure thus far stands at ₹2,015 crore against current allocations budget (~₹1 ,673 Crore additionally allocated indiv/Funding).