New Delhi: Indian Railways has commissioned KAVACH Version 4.0 for the first time on the South Central Railway (SCR), upgrading the existing Version 3.2 system across 108 Route Kilometres of the Malkajgiri-Kamareddi section in Hyderabad Division.
The upgrade marks the first deployment of KAVACH 4.0 on SCR and follows the railway zone’s experience with KAVACH Version 3.2 across 1,465 Route Kilometres.
What Makes KAVACH 4.0 Different?
The latest version incorporates technological upgrades aimed at improving train positioning, communication and integration with existing signalling systems.
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Key enhancements include:
- Higher location accuracy: Enables more precise positioning of trains.
- Better signal information: Provides improved information on signal aspects in larger railway yards.
- OFC-based station interface: Establishes station-to-station KAVACH communication through Optical Fibre Cable.
- Electronic interlocking interface: Allows KAVACH to directly interface with existing Electronic Interlocking systems.
Indian Railways said these upgrades are intended to improve system reliability and support safer train operations across its diverse network.
How KAVACH Protects Train Operations
KAVACH is an indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system designed to assist loco pilots in maintaining prescribed speed limits and taking corrective action when required.
The system is designed to:
- Help prevent Signal Passing at Danger (SPAD).
- Monitor and control train speeds in critical situations.
- Automatically apply brakes when required if the loco pilot fails to take appropriate action.
- Support safer train operations during adverse weather conditions.
KAVACH has been developed to meet Safety Integrity Level-4 (SIL-4) certification requirements, the highest level of safety integrity for such systems.
Infrastructure Needed for KAVACH Deployment
Deploying KAVACH across a railway section requires several components to work together.
These include:
- Station KAVACH installations at stations and block sections.
- RFID tags installed along the track.
- Telecommunication towers across the section.
- Optical Fibre Cable laid along the railway track.
- Loco KAVACH equipment installed on locomotives.
The commissioning of Version 4.0 on the Malkajgiri-Kamareddi section comes as Indian Railways plans wider deployment of the upgraded system across its network.
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