Indian Railways plans to deploy Kavach technology, an advanced automatic train protection system, across its vast 68,000-km network, according to railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
Kavach serves a dual purpose - not only does it help locomotive drivers avoid dangerous signal crossings and maintain appropriate speeds, but it also ensures smooth train operation even in difficult weather conditions such as dense fog.
"In 2024, we will install Kavach on 2,500 km of track. And from 2025 onwards, we will install it in 5,000 km every year until we cover our entire rail network of 68,000 km," Vaishnaw told media.
The Kavach technology, which was first tested in 2016, aims to provide a remarkable level of safety with a low failure probability of just one in 10,000 years.
Following successful trials, three Indian suppliers have been approved for further development contracts with Indian Railways. Vaishnaw says multinational companies are now developing prototypes and will soon join the project.
To date, the South Central Railway has successfully implemented this cutting-edge technology over a staggering 1,465 kilometres. In addition, the installation process is underway for an impressive 3,000 kilometres on the Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Kolkata corridors.
The Minister was optimistic about the rapid adoption of the technology across India and envisaged that the Kavvach system could potentially be exported within five years.