Indian Railways commissions Kavach System on Prayagraj-Kanpur section to boost safety and speed
Indian Railways has commissioned the indigenous Kavach system on a 190-kilometre stretch between Prayagraj and Kanpur on the high-density Delhi-Howrah corridor, marking a significant step towards enhancing rail safety and enabling high-speed operations.
The system was operationalised on March 22 through Train No. 14163, with senior railway officials, including the General Manager, conducting inspections to assess its performance. A footplate inspection was also carried out between Subedarganj and Manauri stations to evaluate real-time functioning.
The Ministry of Railways said the commissioning paves the way for running trains at speeds of up to 160 kmph on one of the country’s busiest and most critical rail routes, improving both operational efficiency and passenger safety.
In the initial phase, Kavach will be deployed on eight pairs of trains, with plans to gradually extend the system to more services, including premium trains such as Vande Bharat Express.
Before commissioning, extensive trials were conducted using different train configurations, including high-performance WAP-7 locomotive engines with varying coach compositions, as well as Vande Bharat train sets. Passenger trials on services like the Chauri Chaura Express also demonstrated consistent and reliable performance.
The Ministry said that over 20,000 kilometres of trial runs were completed successfully, with all system validations meeting required standards.
The Kavach system, developed under the Make in India initiative, is designed to prevent accidents by automatically controlling train speed and applying brakes in case of human error or signal violations. It plays a crucial role in preventing incidents such as Signal Passing at Danger (SPAD).
With this addition, Kavach Version 4.0 has now been deployed across 1,452 route kilometres, covering key sections of the Delhi–Mumbai and Delhi–Howrah corridors.
The Ministry said that the Indian Railways remains committed to adopting advanced safety technologies and modernising operations. The next phase of implementation will extend the Kavach system to the Ghaziabad-Tundla section as part of Mission Raftaar, aimed at increasing train speeds and improving efficiency across the network.
