INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
India's capability to deploy the Kavach automatic train collision avoidance system is set to receive a boost with approval being given to
global companies, Germany's Siemens and Japan's Kyosan, to install it on the Indian Railways network
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that Kavach deployment will increase to 5,000 kilometers per year by the 2025-26 financial year,
up from the current 1,500 kilometers annually, according to an ET report.Tenders for the installation of Kavach over 3,000 kilometers were
awarded in December last year, and progress is on schedule with 98% of the radio survey on the routes completed so far
The Railway Minister stated that bids for installing Kavach on another 2,500 kilometers of railway networks will be awarded soon.According
to a TOI report, by March 2025, the Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Howrah railway routes, considered the busiest, will be entirely fitted with the
anti-train collision system Kavach
As per Vaishnaw's update on Kavach's advancement, currently, 1,659 km of railway lines have the system installed, with an additional 500 km
set to be covered by March next year
Over the subsequent three years, the aim is to extend this safety measure to encompass at least 5,000 km of tracks.Kavach is an Automatic
Train Protection system which was developed indigenously by the Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO) in collaboration with the
According to Indian Railways it is as a cost-effective Safety Integrity Level 4 (SIL-4) certified technology.In simple terms, Kavach aims to
If a train's speed exceeds the designated limits and the driver fails to intervene, this system automatically engages the train's braking
Indian Railways asserts that Kavach effectively prevents collisions between two trains equipped with this operational safety feature.Until
This indigenously developed open-source technology requires companies interested in deploying Kavach systems to develop their systems
according to the specifications provided by the Indian Railways, Vaishnaw said.Indian Railways push for KavachLooking ahead, the next
generation of Kavach will be based on Long-Term Evolution (LTE), also known as 4G and 5G technology
the technology over a longer route.Vande Bharat sleeper trains will have WOW Factor: ICF GM explains how | Vande Bharat, Vande
MetroAddressing concerns about potential conflicts impacting the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), Vaishnaw stated that the
Israel-Hamas conflict will have no impact on the IMEC corridor plan.Regarding Railways' capital expenditure, Vaishnaw revealed that they are
on track to close the month with 70% of the budgeted capital expenditure
The full year's work is expected to be completed by mid-March 2024
Additionally, 50 out of the planned 80 Gati Shakti Cargo terminals have already been commissioned, with another 80 terminals set to be
completed in the next 8-10 months.Vaishnaw also projected an increase in footfall on the Indian Railways, with an estimated 7.5 billion
passengers expected to use the railways in the current fiscal year, up from 6.4 billion in the previous fiscal year.Providing an update on
the bullet train project, Vaishnaw mentioned that adjustments have been made to Japan's E5 Shinkansen to suit Indian conditions.
