**Executive Summary**
Indian Railways has commissioned 472.3 route kilometers of Kavach Version 4.0 across three sections on January 30, 2026. This marks the highest ever Kavach commissioning in a single day, bringing the total Kavach 4.0 coverage to over 1,300 route kilometers across five Indian Railways Zones. The newly commissioned sections include Vadodara-Virar, Tuglakabad Junction Cabin–Palwal, and Manpur-Sarmatanr.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Kavach 4.0 Commissioning:**
* 472.3 route kilometers of Kavach Version 4.0 commissioned on January 30, 2026.
* Sections commissioned: Vadodara-Virar (344 km), Tuglakabad Junction Cabin–Palwal (35 km), and Manpur-Sarmatanr (93.3 km).
* Total Kavach 4.0 coverage now exceeds 1,300 route kilometers across five zones.
* Highest ever route kilometers of Kavach commissioned on a single day and in a month.
* **Progress by Railway Zone:**
* Western Railway: Vadodara-Virar section (344km) commissioned. Kavach installation is advancing steadily with 364 locomotives equipped. Work on Vadodara-Nagda and Virar–Mumbai Central sections is in progress.
* Northern Railway: Tuglakabad Junction Cabin–Palwal section (35 km) commissioned.
* East Central Railway: Manpur-Sarmatanr section (93.3 km) commissioned. Kavach is being installed over 4,235 route kilometres of East Central Railway.
* **Kavach System Overview:**
* Kavach Version 4.0 is India's indigenous Automatic Train Protection system.
* It enhances train protection, operational safety, and reliability.
* Prevents Signal Passing at Danger (SPAD), collisions, and overspeeding.
* Complies with SIL-4 safety standards.
* Integrates microprocessors, GPS, and radio communication technologies.
* Automatically applies brakes if another train is detected on the same track within a predefined distance.
**Impact Analysis**
**Indian Railways**
* **Impact:** Strengthened rail safety, enhanced operational reliability, and increased passenger confidence. Kavach 4.0 supports safer and more efficient train operations.
* **Action Required:** Continue accelerating the deployment of the Kavach system and progressing with sanctioned Kavach installation works on various sections.
**Passengers**
* **Impact:** Safer and more reliable rail travel due to enhanced train protection systems.
* **Action Required:** Be aware of the Kavach system and its benefits for passenger safety.
**Locomotive Pilots**
* **Impact:** Enhanced safety due to automated alerts and braking systems, especially in low visibility conditions.
* **Action Required:** Familiarize themselves with the Kavach system's operation and functionalities for safe train operation.
Key Entities Referenced
Kavach: An automatic train protection system developed indigenously in India to enhance railway safety.
Indian Railways: The primary entity involved in the implementation and rollout of Kavach across its network.
RDSO (Research Designs and Standards Organisation): The organization that approves Kavach 4.0, and representing a major advancement in railway safety.
Ministry of Railways
Indian Railways Speeds Up Kavach 4.0 Safety
Rollout with 472 km Commissioned Across Three
Sections
Highest-Ever Kavach Commissioning Achieved in a Single
Day
Kavach 4.0 Commissioned on Vadodara–Virar (344 km),
Tuglakabad Junction Cabin–Palwal (35 km) and Manpur–
Sarmatanr (93.3 km) Sections
Kavach 4.0 Now Covers Over 1,300 Route Kilometres Across
Five Indian Railways Zones
प्रव तथ: 30 JAN 2026 8:06PM by PIB Delhi
Indian Railways today commissioned 472.3 route kilometres of Kavach Version 4.0 (Automatic Train
Protection System) across three sections of its network, marking another significant milestone in
strengthening rail safety. The newly commissioned sections include Vadodara–Virar (344 km) on
Western Railway, Tuglakabad Junction Cabin–Palwal (35 km) on Northern Railway, and Manpur–
Sarmatanr (93.3 km) on East Central Railway. With this commissioning, Indian Railways continues to
accelerate the deployment of the indigenous Kavach system to enhance train protection, operational safety,
and reliability across high-density routes.This commissioning marks the highest ever route kilometres of Kavach commissioned on a single day
as well as in a month, with 472.3 RKm brought under Kavach Version 4.0. The previous highest
commissioning stood at 324 RKm on the Kota–Mathura section of West Central Railway. With the
latest addition, Kavach Version 4.0 has now been commissioned across five zones of Indian Railways.
After today’s inclusion, Kavach Version 4.0 has been commissioned over a total of 1,306.3 Route
Kilometres across Indian Railways. Prior to this, Kavach Version 4.0 had been commissioned on 834
Route Kilometres. This included the Palwal–Mathura–Nagda section (633 RKm) of the Delhi–Mumbai
route and the Howrah–Bardhaman section (105 RKm) of the Delhi–Howrah route. In addition, 96 Route
Kilometres were commissioned on Gujarat’s first Bajwa (Vadodara)–Ahmedabad section.Progress of Kavach 4.0 Implementation on Northern Railway
Indian Railways successfully commissioned Kavach 4.0 on the 35-km Tuglakabad Junction Cabin–Palwal
section of the four-line Delhi–Mumbai route, which spans 152 main line track kilometres. Kavach has
been installed in a complete stretch of this corridor comprising Major station Yards, two Main lines with
Automatic Signaling system and two lines with Absolute Block signalling.
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.
Progress of Kavach 4.0 Implementation on East Central Railway
Indian Railways has also commenced train operations with Kavach 4.0 on the 93.3 km Manpur–Sarmatanr
section of the DDUGJ–Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya division. The first Kavach-enabled service, Train No.
13305 Sasaram Intercity Express, operated successfully on this section, departing Sone Nagar at 07:42 hrs
and arriving at Manpur at 09:35 hrs. During the run, a head-on collision test was conducted, in which the
train automatically stopped, validating the system’s effectiveness.
Kavach is being installed over 4,235 route kilometres of East Central Railway, including 417 route
kilometres on the Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction–Manpur section, a critical part of the Delhi–
Howrah trunk route passing through Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand. The section carries mixed traffic
and is currently cleared for 130 kmph, with works in progress under Mission Raftar to enhance the speed
potential to 160 kmph.
Progress of Kavach 4.0 Implementation on Western RailwayWork on the Vadodara–Surat–Virar section on Delhi-Mumbai route commenced in January 2023, and on
30 January 2026, Kavach has been successfully commissioned on this 344-km section. This historic
milestone was achieved with Train No. 20907, Dadar–Bhuj Sayajinagri Express, becoming the first
KAVACH equipped train to run from Mumbai.
Work on the Vadodara–Nagda section is progressing at a fast pace and is expected to be commissioned by
March 2026, while work on the Virar–Mumbai Central section is also progressing well and is targeted for
completion by September 2026. Simultaneously, Kavach installation on locomotives is advancing steadily,
with 364 locomotives on Western Railway equipped with Kavach so far. In addition, works on several
other sections of Western Railway have been sanctioned, covering a total of 2,667 Route Kilometres, with
execution underway on all sanctioned sections.
About Kavach
Kavach Version 4.0, the latest and most advanced iteration of India’s indigenous Automatic Train
Protection system, has been developed through continuous technological upgrades based on operational
feedback and independent safety assessments. Approved by the Research Designs and Standards
Organisation (RDSO), Kavach 4.0 represents a major advancement in railway safety.
It is specifically designed to address the operational demands of India’s diverse, high-density and multi-
line rail network, offering enhanced reliability, faster response, and seamless integration with existing
signalling and interlocking systems. Certified by an Independent Safety Assessor (ISA) to meet global
safety standards, Kavach 4.0 is fully equipped for large-scale deployment across Indian Railways.
Kavach integrates microprocessors, Global Positioning System (GPS), and radio communication
technologies to ensure safe train operations. When another train is detected on the same track within a
predefined distance, the system alerts the locomotive pilot and, if required, automatically applies brakes
through onboard equipment.Kavach provides automatic protection against Signal Passing at Danger (SPAD) and effectively prevents
side, head-on, and rear-end collisions. It also continuously monitors and controls overspeeding, ensuring
safe operations even under low visibility and adverse weather conditions. In addition, the system generates
alerts during wrong-direction and reverse movements and provides automatic information on level
crossing gates.
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.
*****
Dharmendra Tewari/ Dr. Nayan Solanki/ Ritu Raj/ Manik Sharma
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