Indian Railways (IR) is enhancing safety across its network through the roll-out of Kavach, an indigenously developed automatic train protection (ATP) system, which helps prevent collisions, overspeeding and signal passing at danger (SPAD) when a train crosses a red signal. Developed under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, Kavach has progressed from trial stages to steady expansion across the network in recent years. Earlier, train operations relied heavily on trackside signals and driver judgement, which could be affected by fog, harsh weather and track curvature. In contrast, Kavach allows user-friendly cab signalling for loco pilots, enables centralised real-time monitoring of train movements and ensures interoperability across multiple vendors, reducing reliance on any single supplier. Certified to Safety Integrity Level 4 (SIL-4), one of the highest global railway safety standards, the system is designed for extremely high reliability and a very low probability of failure.
Rapid expansion and measurable safety gains
IR is steadily commissioning new Kavach-equipped sections across multiple zones. A major milestone was achieved in December 2025, when Western Railway (WR) commissioned Kavach 4.0 on the 96 km Bajwa (Vadodara)-Ahmedabad section, marked by the first Kavach-equipped Sankalp Fast passenger service, demonstrating operational readiness on a busy intercity corridor. This stretch includes 17 stations, supported by 23 communication towers, nearly 192 km of optical fibre cable and advanced network management systems at Pratapnagar and Ahmedabad.
As of February 2026, Kavach has been deployed on more than 2,200 route kilometres (rkm) across the IR network. IR has commissioned Kavach 4.0 across 472.3 rkm spanning three sections: Vadodara-Virar (344 km) on WR, Tughlakabad Junction cabin-Palwal (35 km) on Northern Railway (NR) and Manpur-Sarmatanr (93.3 km) on East Central Railway. This marks the highest route km of Kavach commissioned in a single day and month. With this addition, Kavach 4.0 now covers a total of 1,306.3 rkm across five railway zones of the IR network.
On the rolling stock front, 364 locomotives under WR have been fitted with Kavach equipment as of early 2026, reflecting steady progress towards fleet-wide adoption. Central Railway’s Pune division has also reported
notable progress. Non-signalling Kavach trials covering over 295 km, including the Pune-Kolhapur and Daund-Manmad sections, have been successfully completed as preparatory work for broader deployment. Phase II Kavach station installations have been completed at Padhegaon, Belapur and Rahuri, with further work under way on the Daund-Yeola section. In parallel, telecom infrastructure is advancing, with 53 Kavach towers erected so far against a planned total of 123. IR’s annual safety expenditure has risen significantly, from Rs 392 billion in 2013-14 to Rs 1,176.93 billion in 2025-26, demonstrating strong institutional commitment. Correspondingly, consequential train accidents dropped from 135 in 2014-15 to 31 in 2024-25, and further to 11 in 2025-26 (up to November 2025), highlighting tangible improvements in operational safety outcomes.
AI and smart technologies for railway safety
Kavach is part of a broader shift towards artificial intelligence (AI)-driven and data-centric safety systems across IR. One notable initiative is the deployment of an AI-enabled intrusion detection system based on distributed acoustic sensing technology. This system detects the movement of elephants and other wildlife along vulnerable railway routes, triggering real-time alerts to loco pilots, station masters and control rooms. The technology is currently operational over 141 rkm on Northeast Frontier Railway, with tenders awarded for an additional 981 km.
Beyond wildlife protection, these AI-based intrusion detection and surveillance systems are being leveraged to reduce incidents of cattle run-over, which remain a significant safety and operational concern on several routes, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas. By detecting the presence and movement of cattle near or on railway tracks and issuing timely alerts to train crews and control centres, these systems enable loco pilots to take preventive action such as speed reduction or controlled braking. This not only helps avoid accidents involving livestock but also minimises train delays, damage to rolling stock and risks to passenger safety. Complementary measures such as honeybee buzzer devices at level crossings and pilot deployments of thermal vision cameras further enhance protection against animal collisions.
Station security has also been strengthened through video surveillance systems installed at 1,731 stations, equipped with AI-based video analytics for intrusion detection, loitering analysis and facial recognition. On the maintenance front, AI-led predictive maintenance is being piloted for signalling systems. Technologies such as online monitoring of rolling stock, wheel impact load detectors, machine vision-based inspection systems (in collaboration with Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited) and automatic wheel profile measurement systems (with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation) are enabling early detection of defects and
proactive asset management.
Strengthening core signalling and operational safety
IR has been steadily strengthening its core signalling infrastructure to complement the roll-out of Kavach. As of December 2025, electronic interlocking (EI) systems have been commissioned at 6,660 stations, centralising the control of points and signals and significantly reducing the risk of accidents caused by human error. In addition, vigilance control devices have been installed on all locomotives to monitor loco pilot alertness and ensure timely operational responses. To mitigate fog-related risks, retro-reflective sigma boards have been mounted on signal masts, while GPS-based fog safety devices have been deployed across fog-prone regions. Continuous infrastructure monitoring is being carried out using ultrasonic flaw detection, oscillation monitoring systems and track recording cars, supported by advances in digital track asset management. A web-based monitoring platform, including a comprehensive track database and decision support system, has also been introduced to enable more rational maintenance planning and optimise resource deployment. To further support Kavach and other digital railway systems, IR is reassessing its communication backbone to enhance operational safety and responsiveness. Limited communication capacity can slow emergency response and increase operational risks, making modernisation essential. Reliable voice communication between loco pilots and guards remains critical. To this end, the procurement of digital 5 W very high frequency walkie-talkie sets has been standardised to replace analogue systems and ensure clearer, uninterrupted connectivity. Together, these upgrades will enable push-to-talk communication, real-time GPS tracking, AI-enabled video surveillance and live track information for loco pilots, creating a resilient, always-on communication ecosystem that strengthens the effectiveness of Kavach.
Fostering workforce readiness
While technology is a key enabler, lasting safety improvements require strong standards, partnerships and skilled human resources. Recognising this, IR has placed strong emphasis on capacity building, standardisation and workforce training alongside Kavach deployment. In October 2025, industry collaboration strengthened Kavach development when NOVA Control Tecnologix (a subsidiary of E2E Transportation Infrastructure Limited) partnered with Tata Elxsi to develop Kavach 4.0. The development is aligned with the Research Design and Standards Organisation norms and SIL-4 safety requirements, combining manufacturing capability with specialised engineering to meet global-quality safety benchmarks.
In November 2025, South Central Railway, the Indian Railways Institute of Signal Engineering and Telecommunications (IRISET) and the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IIT Hyderabad) signed an MoU to develop modular hardware interoperability for the Kavach ATP system. The goal is to standardise interfaces so that different Kavach modules, communication and processing units can function in a plug-and-play manner regardless of the original equipment manufacturer. This will improve maintainability, upgradability and multi vendor flexibility for wider deployment across IR. As of December 2025, more than 40,000 technicians, operators and engineers, including around 30,000 loco pilots and assistant loco pilots, have been trained through structured courses developed in collaboration with IRISET and other training partners. In parallel, IRISET is exploring a collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organisation to further enhance Kavach through the integration of space-based technologies and advanced research inputs. As of February 2026, training methods are being modernised through immersive technologies. North Central Railway introduced virtual reality-based training modules for loco pilots, enabling simulation-based learning to improve operational readiness and familiarity with Kavach in realistic scenarios.
Kavach’s forward deployment plan
The expansion of Kavach is being reinforced by parallel upgrades in signalling, communication and digital infrastructure, creating a truly integrated railway safety ecosystem. As of February 2026, IR has approved the roll-out of electronic interlocking (EI) systems at 34 stations on NR, including 21 stations in the Delhi division and 13 in the Ambala division, at a combined cost of Rs 4.21 billion. Earlier, in January 2026, IR approved Kavach installation on a 443 km stretch of Eastern Railway at a cost of Rs 2.23 billion, covering multiple suburban and mainline sections and enabling 100 per cent Kavach coverage in West Bengal. WR has outlined further ambitious plans, including the roll-out of Kavach on the Vadodara-Nagda section by March 2026 and the Virar-Mumbai Central section by September 2026. These upgrades are expected to support higher train frequencies, safer operations and improved reliability on heavily utilised corridors. Over time, this integrated, technology-driven approach is expected to significantly reduce operational risks, minimise delays and lay the foundation for higher-speed, higher-capacity rail corridors across India.
Simran Kapoor
