- Category
- Safety & Signalling Technology
- Used for
- Train collision risk reduction, speed supervision, signal protection and automatic braking
- Benefits
- Kavach continuously supervises train movement and can automatically apply brakes when a locomotive pilot fails to respond appropriately to speed restrictions or signalling conditions. It is designed to reduce the risk associated with Signal Passing at Danger (SPAD), overspeeding and certain collision scenarios. It can also assist train operation during poor visibility and adverse weather conditions.
- Introduced
- 2020 — adopted as Indian Railways’ National Automatic Train Protection system
Kavach is an indigenous Automatic Train Protection, or ATP, system introduced by Indian Railways to strengthen railway safety. Field trials on passenger trains began in 2016, and the technology was officially adopted as the National ATP system in July 2020.
The system works through equipment installed on locomotives, railway tracks and stations. Its infrastructure includes locomotive-mounted Kavach equipment, RFID tags along railway tracks, communication networks, optical fibre connectivity and station-based systems.
One of Kavach's most important functions is continuous speed supervision. If a locomotive pilot does not reduce the train's speed when required, the system can automatically initiate braking. It is also designed to assist with signal protection and safer train operation during conditions such as poor visibility.
Kavach should not be described as making railway accidents impossible. Instead, it acts as an additional technological safety layer designed to reduce human-error-related risks and improve train protection.
Indian Railways has continued improving the technology. Kavach Version 4.0 was approved by RDSO in July 2024 and incorporates improvements in location accuracy, signalling information and integration with electronic interlocking systems.