New Delhi, Jan 30 (JKNS: In a major boost to rail safety, the General Manager of Northern Railway inspected and commissioned the indigenously developed KAVACH Automatic Train Protection System on the busy Tughlakabad–Palwal section, marking a significant upgrade on one of Indian Railways’ high-traffic corridors.
Ashok Kumar Verma, General Manager, Northern Railway inspected the installation of indigenously developed KAVACH (Automatic Train Protection System) on Tughlakabad Junction Cabin (Delhi Area) and Palwal Section (35 Kms) which is four line section having 152 Main line Track Kms. Northern Railway has installed Kavach in complete stretch of this corridor comprising of Major station Yards, two Main lines with Automatic Signaling system and two lines with Absolute Block signalling.
During the inspection, five tests related to Kavach were conducted:
Signal Passing at Danger(SPAD) Test: Loco Pilot tried to cross red signal to test Kavach, Kavach system stopped the loco before the signal.
Head on Collision Test: Two locos were put on the same line, Kavach system stopped locos well before the prescribed distance limit.
Rear End Collision Test: In this test, a scenario was created where the Loco started sliding backwards, Kavach system stopped Loco from moving backwards to avoid rear end collision.
Loop line overspeed Test: During the trial, loco entered loop line at a speed of 120 kmph in loop line, the Kavach system restricted the speed to 20 kmph.
Level Crossing Protection Test: In this test, a scenario was created where the LC gate was open, and the Kavach system successfully stopped the locomotive before it reached the level crossing.
Shri Ashok Kumar Verma, General Manager, said, “This commissioning marks a significant safety upgrade on one of the busiest and high-density corridors of the Indian Railways covering Delhi suburban and long-distance rail network. This section is a high-traffic stretch catering to passenger, suburban, and freight trains. Commissioning of KAVACH on this section significantly enhances operational safety, reliability, and passenger confidence.”
KAVACH is an advanced Automatic Train Protection system, developed indigenously under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. The Kavach makes rail operation safer by applying brakes in trains in critical situations. The system automatically protects against Signal Passing at Danger (SPAD), Head-on and rear-ends collision risks. Moreover, Overspeeding is continuously monitored and controlled and Safety is ensured even in low visibility and adverse weather conditions.
KAVACH complies with SIL-4 safety standards, the highest level of safety integrity globally. Being an indigenously designed and cost-effective system, it reduces dependence on imported technologies and promotes Indian signaling industry.
Indian Railways is progressively expanding KAVACH coverage, reinforcing its commitment to safe and reliable train operations and safer rail travel for millions of passengers.
This commissioning is another step in commitment towards a safer, smarter, and self-reliant Indian Railways. (JKNS)
