Tenders for the installation of armor over a distance of more than 3,000 kilometers were awarded in December last year, and progress is set with 98% radio survey on the routes completed so far. The Railway Minister said bids for installing Kavach on another 2,500 km railway network will be awarded soon.
According to TOI report, by March 2025, the Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Howrah railway routes, considered the busiest, will be fully equipped with anti-train collision system armour. According to Vaishnav’s update on Kavach’s progress, currently, the system is installed on 1,659 km of railway lines, with an additional 500 km targeted to be installed by March next year. Over the next three years, the aim is to extend this safety measure to at least 5,000 km of track.
What is Kavach Anti Train Collision System?
Kavach is an automatic train protection system that was indigenously developed by the Research Design and Standards Organization (RDSO) in collaboration with Indian industry. According to Indian Railways it is a cost effective Safety Integrity Level 4 (SIL-4) certified technology.
In simple terms, the purpose of the armor is to prevent train collisions. If the speed of the train exceeds the prescribed limit and the driver fails to intervene, this system automatically activates the braking mechanism of the train. Indian Railways claims that Kavach effectively prevents collision between two trains equipped with this operational safety feature.
Till now, only three companies – Medha Servo Drives, HBL Power Systems and Kernex Microsystems – had the rights to deploy Kavach. However, with the recent approval, Indian Railways’ capacity to install Kavach will increase significantly. Vaishnav said this indigenously developed open-source technology requires companies interested in deploying Kavach systems to develop their systems as per the specifications provided by the Indian Railways.
![Indian Railways is emphasizing on armor armor system](https://static.toiimg.com/thumb/imgsize-23456,msid-105611865,width-600,resizemode-4/105611865.jpg)
Indian Railways is emphasizing on armor
Looking to the future, the next generation of Armor will be based on Long-Term Evolution (LTE), also known as 4G and 5G technology. Vaishnav mentioned that two tenders will be awarded in the next financial year – one to upgrade the existing Kavach network and the other to deploy the technology on long haul routes.
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Addressing concerns about potential conflicts affecting the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), Vaishnaw said the Israel-Hamas conflict will have no impact on the IMEC corridor plan.
Regarding Railways’ capital expenditure, Vaishnav revealed that they are on track to end the month with 70% of the budgeted capital expenditure. The entire year’s work is expected to be completed by mid-March 2024. Additionally, of the planned 80 Gati Shakti cargo terminals, 50 have already been commissioned, with the other 80 terminals expected to be completed in the next 8-10 months.
Vaishnav also projected growth in passenger numbers on 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, Vaishnav mentioned that adjustments have been made to Japan’s E5 Shinkansen to suit Indian conditions.
(TagstoTranslate)Business News(T)Siemens(T)Kyosan(T)Armor(T)Indian Railway Safety(T)Indian Railways(T)Automatic Train Collision Avoidance System(T)Ashwini Vaishnav