India's Rail Safety Boost: Kavach 4.0 Activated on 654 km of Tracks by September 2025
Image Source: Internet
New Delhi: The Indian Railways has made significant progress in implementing the Kavach 4.0 automatic train protection system, covering over 654 km of tracks by September 2025. According to a Right to Information (RTI) response, the system has been installed at 155 railway stations and 2,892 locomotives across the country. The Kavach system, designed to prevent train accidents by automatically applying brakes if the driver fails to adhere to speed limits, has been commissioned on several key routes, including the 324 km Kota-Mathura and 225 km Kota-Nagda sections. The entire Mathura-Nagda section has been equipped with the Kavach 4.0 system. In addition, the Howrah-Bardhaman section of Eastern Railway has been covered under the Kavach system, with 105 km of tracks being activated on September 12, 2025. The Railway Ministry has revealed that the installation of the Kavach system is being accelerated with the entry of new companies, which has increased the pace of work. The ministry has also provided details of the year-wise expenditure on Kavach since 2020, with a total of ₹2,268.34 crore spent in six and a half years. The officials have assured that the entire rail network of about 1,13,000 km will be brought under the Kavach system in the next six years. However, the RTI applicant, Chandra Shekhar Gaur, has raised concerns about the slow pace of installation, citing the need for equipment installation at over 15,000 locomotives and 7,000 railway stations. Railway officials have attributed the delay to the complexity of the technology and the initial lack of companies authorized to install the Kavach system.
