India's 'Kavach' Shield: A Major Leap in Train Safety

Indian Railways has successfully commissioned the indigenous Kavach 4.0 Automatic Train Protection System on the Mathura–Kota section of the high-density Delhi–Mumbai route, marking a significant milestone in the modernization of railway safety.

Approved by the Research Designs & Standards Organisation (RDSO) in July 2024, Kavach 4.0 meets international safety standards. While many developed nations took decades to develop such systems, India has achieved this advancement in record time. For over six decades post-independence, the country lacked advanced train protection systems—Kavach now fills that gap by automatically controlling train speed, applying brakes, and providing in-cab signal information, even in low-visibility conditions like fog.

Indian Railways aims to roll out Kavach 4.0 nationwide within six years. To support this, over 30,000 railway personnel have been trained, and IRISET has partnered with 17 AICTE-approved engineering institutions to integrate Kavach into BTech curricula.

This initiative marks a major step towards Atmanirbhar Bharat in rail safety technology and will help protect millions of passengers across India’s vast railway network.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.