Rail Safety Gets a Kavach Shield: ₹309 Crore Approved for NCR

The Central government has approved Rs 309.26 crore for installing the indigenous automatic train protection system, ‘Kavach,’ across 790 km within the North Central Railway (NCR) zone.

This initiative is part of the national project titled ‘Kavach and Communication Backbone through LTE for Balance Routes of Indian Railways,’ included in the 2024–25 Works, Machinery & Rolling Stock Programme with a total budget of Rs 27,693 crore. The sanctioned funds will support Kavach deployment across key divisions such as Prayagraj, Agra, and Jhansi, covering important sections like Shikohabad-Farrukhabad (103.58 km), Dholpur-Sarmathura (70 km), Lalitpur-Khajuraho (164 km), among others.

Kavach is a homegrown automatic train protection (ATP) system designed to prevent signal passing at danger (SPAD), control train speeds, and enable automatic braking during emergencies. Indian Railways aims to implement Kavach 4.0 on major routes within the next six years. Over 30,000 railway personnel have been trained for its deployment. The government has significantly increased investment in railway safety, now exceeding Rs 1 lakh crore annually, reflecting a strong commitment to modernising rail infrastructure and enhancing passenger safety.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.