Ahmedabad: Indian Railways commissioned Made-in-India Automatic Train Protection system Kavach 4.0 on Gujarat’s Bajwa (Vadodara)–Ahmedabad section, strengthening train safety on a key rail corridor.
The newly commissioned stretch covers 96 km and includes 17 stations. As part of the project, Indian Railways installed 23 communication towers and built 20 Kavach huts. In addition, teams laid 192 km of optical fibre cable and deployed 2,872 RFID tags along the route.
The Sankalp Fast Passenger, numbered 59549 and 59550, became the first Kavach-enabled train on this section. The service operated with WAP-7 locomotives and 11 LHB coaches. As a result, the system entered live operation on the corridor.
Kavach 4.0 now functions fully on the Vadodara–Ahmedabad section. It automatically prevents accidents caused by Signal Passed at Danger situations. Moreover, the system enforces speed control, including sectional speed, loop line limits and Permanent Speed Restrictions.
The safety system also provides protection against head-on and rear-end collisions. In addition, it includes an SOS facility and automatic whistling at level crossing gates. These features improve safety during normal and adverse operating conditions.
Kavach 4.0 expands Automatic Train Protection coverage
With the latest commissioning, Indian Railways has implemented Kavach on more than 2,200 route kilometres. Therefore, the network continues to expand coverage across busy and high-density sections.
Kavach is an indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection system of Indian Railways. It meets Safety Integrity Level-4 standards, which represent one of the highest global benchmarks in railway signalling safety. Consequently, the system reflects a strong focus on operational reliability.
Kavach assists loco pilots by automatically applying brakes when trains exceed permitted speed limits. It also intervenes when safety conditions deteriorate. As a result, the system helps prevent accidents, including during fog, rain and other adverse weather.
Continuous operational feedback and independent safety evaluations guided system upgrades. Based on these assessments, the Research Designs and Standards Organisation approved Kavach Version 4.0. The upgrade addresses the needs of India’s complex and high-density rail network.
Kavach 4.0 introduces several technological improvements. These include higher location accuracy for precise train positioning. It also provides better signal aspect information at large station yards.
In addition, the system enables station-to-station Kavach interface through optical fibre communication. This ensures faster and more reliable data exchange. Moreover, direct integration with electronic interlocking systems allows seamless coordination with existing signalling infrastructure.
The Independent Safety Assessor has certified Kavach 4.0 to meet global safety standards. Therefore, the system remains suitable for large-scale deployment across the railway network.
The commissioning of Kavach 4.0 on the Vadodara–Ahmedabad section reinforces Indian Railways’ focus on indigenous safety technologies. It also strengthens passenger safety and operational reliability while advancing a safer and smarter rail network.
