Indigenous Kavach 4.0 Safety System Commissioned on This Section of Indian Railways

In a landmark step towards modernising railway safety, Indian Railways has commissioned the advanced Kavach 4.0, an indigenous railway safety system, on the Mathura-Kota section of the high-density Delhi-Mumbai corridor. The announcement was made on July 30, 2025, by Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw, marking a significant milestone in India’s pursuit of safer and smarter rail travel.

Kavach 4.0: India’s Answer to World-Class Train Safety

• Kavach 4.0, designed at Safety Integrity Level 4 (SIL 4) — the highest level of safety design — is India’s cutting-edge system to prevent accidents.
• It automatically monitors and controls train speeds.
• It ensures effective brake application, even in low visibility conditions like fog.
• Train drivers can now see signal and speed-related information on a dashboard inside the cabin, eliminating the need to look outside for signals.

Nationwide Rollout and Training

The Railway Minister announced that Kavach 4.0 would be rolled out nationwide within six years. To support this massive expansion,

• Over 30,000 personnel have already been trained on Kavach systems.
• IRISET (Indian Railway Institute of Signal Engineering and Telecommunications) has signed MoUs with 17 AICTE-approved engineering colleges, universities, and institutions to include Kavach technology in their B.Tech curricula, ensuring the creation of a skilled workforce.

Technology Behind Kavach 4.0

Kavach is often compared to setting up a full-fledged telecom company because of its complexity. It includes,

• RFID tags placed every 1 km and at every signal, enabling precise train location tracking.
• Telecom towers with optical fiber connectivity and power supply, installed every few kilometres along the track.
• Continuous communication between loco Kavach, RFID tags, and Station Kavach controllers via these towers.
• Integration of the system with the locomotive braking system, ensuring automatic brake application in emergencies.

Rigorous Testing and Speed Approval

Kavach underwent three years of extensive testing, primarily in the South Central Railway. Based on the experience, the advanced version Kavach 4.0 was approved in May 2025 for operations at speeds up to 160 kmph, making it a game-changer in railway safety technology.

A Strong Push for Passenger Safety

Indian Railways currently invests over ₹1 lakh crore annually in safety-related activities. Kavach 4.0 forms a vital part of these initiatives, ensuring that India’s rapidly growing railway network remains one of the safest in the world.