Railways deploys homegrown Kavach 4.0 for safer Delhi-Mumbai travel

Indian Railways has deployed its advanced, indigenously developed anti-collision system, Kavach 4.0, on the Mathura-Kota section of the busy Delhi-Mumbai route. This marks the first operational use of the latest version, a major step in modernising rail safety.

This rollout follows the 2023 Balasore tragedy, emphasising the urgency of advanced safety tech in India’s vast rail network.

Designed under 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' initiative, Kavach prevents accidents by automatically controlling train speeds and applying brakes in emergencies. It uses Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags along tracks and telecom towers for real-time communication, ensuring safety even in low-visibility conditions like fog.

The Railway Minister highlighted that while developed nations took 20-30 years to build such systems, India achieved this in a short span. Over 30,000 personnel have been trained, and 17 engineering institutes will include Kavach in their curriculum.

Currently, Kavach covers 4,000+ km of tracks, 708 stations, and 1,107 locomotives, with plans for rapid expansion. The system, rated at the highest Safety Integrity Level 4 (SIL 4), highlights Railways' commitment to passenger safety with ₹1 trillion invested annually in safety measures.

With inputs from PIB.