Kavach 4.0 Commissioned on 738 km of Key Rail Routes

Indian Railways has accelerated deployment of the upgraded Kavach 4.0 automatic train protection system, commissioning it across 738 route kilometres on the Delhi–Mumbai and Delhi–Howrah corridors. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed Parliament that the technology is being rolled out rapidly and is already delivering strong safety outcomes.

What Kavach 4.0 Brings to Train Safety

Kavach 4.0 is an indigenously developed enhancement of India’s Automatic Train Protection system, designed to prevent collisions and enforce speed limits. Certified to the stringent SIL-4 safety standard, it automatically applies brakes when a loco pilot does not respond and supports safe operations during poor visibility or extreme weather conditions.

Advanced Features in the Latest Version

The new system provides higher location accuracy, improved yard signal information, and direct integration with electronic interlocking. It includes an optical fibre–based station interface, enabling more reliable data exchange. These upgrades ensure greater safety on India’s busiest passenger and freight corridors and support consistent train operations across diverse terrain.

Five Sub-Systems that Power Kavach

The minister outlined the system’s complexity, noting that it comprises five interconnected components: optical fibre cabling along tracks, telecom towers positioned for uninterrupted radio signals, edge data centres at stations, track-mounted safety units, and onboard devices fitted in locomotives.

Exam Oriented Facts

• Kavach 4.0 has been commissioned on 738 km of the Delhi–Mumbai and Delhi–Howrah routes.
• The system is certified to SIL-4, the highest level of safety integrity.
• It features OFC-based station interface and direct electronic interlocking integration.
• Kavach includes track units, onboard devices, telecom towers, OFC cabling, and data centres.

Rapid Deployment to Modernise Rail Safety

Indian Railways has developed, tested, and begun deploying the upgraded system in a short period, aiming to match global benchmarks in automatic train protection. The minister highlighted that while such systems have existed abroad for years, India’s version is now advancing at scale. Kavach 4.0 is expected to become a key pillar of the country’s long-term rail safety and modernisation strategy.