New Delhi (Metro Rail News): During a recent address to the Rajya Sabha concerning the debate on the Railways (Amendment) Bill, Railway Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw emphasized that safety remains the paramount concern for Indian Railways.
He provided an overview of the advancements made in the indigenous Kavach safety system, which has been developed under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The system has achieved Safety Integrity Level 4 (SIL-4), which is the highest global safety standard—following thorough certification processes conducted from 2016 to 2019.
Despite facing challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, comprehensive trials were executed across India’s varied terrains, ensuring the Kavach system performs effectively in diverse conditions.
The Research Designs and Standards Organization (RDSO) approved Kavach Version 4.0 in July 2024. Shri Vaishnaw also mentioned that an order for 10,000 locomotives has been placed, and deployment is actively progressing on 15,000 Route Kilometers (RKm).
Minister Vaishnaw dismissed critiques regarding the current deployment rate of 2%, asserting that India is striving to accomplish in five years what developed nations have taken two decades to achieve. This illustrates an unprecedented commitment to enhancing railway safety standards within the country.
Progress and Deployment Timeline
The deployment of Kavach is steadily advancing across key railway zones and corridors. As of October 2024, the following progress has been recorded:
South Central Railway (SCR) and North Central Railway (NCR):
The Kavach system has been successfully implemented across a total distance of 1,548 Route Kilometers (RKm) within these specific regions.
Work is in progress on the Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Howrah corridors, covering approximately 3,000 RKm. Track-side works have been completed over 1,081 RKm—705 RKm on the Delhi-Mumbai section and 376 RKm on the Delhi-Howrah section. Regular trials are being conducted to ensure the system is fully operational.
Key Deployment Milestones (As of October 2024):
- Optical Fibre Cable Laid: 4,960 Km
- Telecom Towers Installed: 378 Towers
- Kavach Provisioned at Stations: 381 Stations
- Locomotives Equipped with Kavach: 482 Locomotives
- Track-Side Equipment Installed: 1,948 RKm
These milestones highlight the scale of Kavach’s deployment and the ongoing efforts of Indian Railways to strengthen railway safety and efficiency.
