Rs 206 crore Kavach safety system approved for 680 km section of Northern Railway
New Delhi, July 10
The Indian Railways has approved a Rs 206 crore investment for the provision of the Kavach Version 4.0 enhanced safety system on 680 route kilometres of the Rewari-Delhi and Shakurbasti-Bathinda sections, including feeder branch lines, of the Northern Railway's Delhi Division, according to an official statement issued on Friday.
The project forms part of Indian Railways' ongoing nationwide rollout of Kavach, aimed at expanding the indigenous safety system across high-density and strategically important routes.
Kavach is India's indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system designed to significantly enhance railway safety by preventing Signal Passed at Danger (SPAD) incidents and train collisions. The system continuously monitors train movements, automatically applies brakes whenever necessary, permits trains to operate safely at maximum permissible speeds, and supports reliable train operations even during adverse weather conditions such as dense fog.
Deployment of Kavach Version 4.0 on these important routes of Indian Railways will strengthen safety, improve operational efficiency, enhance reliability of train operations and support faster, technology-driven movement of both passenger and freight services, the statement said.
The Railways has also approved a project worth Rs 175 crore for creation of additional homing facilities for 250 three-phase electric locomotives at the High Horse Power (HHP) Diesel Shed, Raipur, under the South East Central Railway (SECR) to strengthen locomotive maintenance infrastructure.
Homing refers to the assignment of a locomotive to a designated locomotive shed, which serves as its primary maintenance base. The homing shed is responsible for the locomotive's scheduled maintenance, safety inspections, repairs, and overall upkeep to ensure its safe and efficient operation.
The project has been sanctioned as part of Indian Railways' ongoing efforts to augment maintenance infrastructure in line with the rapid expansion of the electric locomotive fleet and increasing freight and passenger operations across the network.
The additional homing facilities will enable Indian Railways to better utilise existing infrastructure while creating the required space for future technological expansion at the Raipur depot, the statement added.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Rs 206 crore is a lot, but if it saves even one life, it's worth it. The fog season in North India is brutal—trains often run blind. Auto brake system is a game-changer. But I hope they also focus on track maintenance and crew training.
Good initiative, but why only 680 km? Our railway network is over 68,000 km! At this pace, it'll take decades to cover everything. Also, the Raipur shed homing facility is needed, but what about older diesel locos? They're being phased out anyway.
As a daily commuter on the Delhi-Rewari line, I'm relieved! The fog last year was terrifying—signals were barely visible. Kavach will definitely help. But please ensure proper installation and testing; we can't afford another Balasore-like tragedy. 😔
Interesting that they're deploying Version 4.0. In the US, Positive Train Control (PTC) has been mandatory since 2015. India's Kavach is a solid alternative, but the rollout speed is concerning. Rs 206 crore for 680 km works out to about Rs 30 lakh per km—reasonable compared to global standards.
Good news! But I wish they'd also invest in passenger amenities along these routes. The Bathinda section sees a lot of freight traffic, so safety is paramount. Just hope the implementation is transparent and on time—no cost overruns like other railway projects. 🤞
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