Lok Sabha Question No. 45 (STARRED), answered on 2023-12-06
Subject: Kavach Safety System
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Behanan Benny, Kumbakudi Sudhakaran

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 45

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.12.2023

## KAVACH SAFETY SYSTEM

- *45. SHRI BENNY BEHANAN: SHRI KUMBAKUDI SUDHAKARAN:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the  total  number  of  sections  and  length  (in  kms.)  under  various railway zones that are covered by Kavach Safety System;
- (b) whether the Government has any justifications for not covering all sections with the Kavach Safety System, if so, the details in this regard;
- (c) whether all rakes like passenger coaches, AC and non-AC Coaches have been fitted with anti-collision devices in each railway zone, if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) whether  the  Railways  proposes  to  give  more  attention  to  these basic  requirements  rather  than  the  priority  being  given  in  recent years  to  faster  and  more  faster  trains  on  aged  tracks,  if  so,  the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(a) to (d) : A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (d)  OF STARRED  QUESTION  NO.45  BY  SHRI  BENNY  BEHANAN  AND  SHRI KUMBAKUDI  SUDHAKARAN  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON

06.12.2023 REGARDING KAVACH SAFETY SYSTEM.

(a) to (d):

1. Kavach  is  an  indigenously  developed  Automatic  Train  Protection (ATP)  system.  Kavach  is  a  highly  technology  intensive  system, which requires safety certification of highest order.
2. Kavach aids the loco pilot in train running within specified speed limits by automatic application of brakes in case Loco Pilot fails to do so and also help the train safely run during inclement weather.
3. The  first  field  trials  on  the  passenger  trains  were  started  in February 2016. Based on the experience so gained and Independent  Safety  Assessment  of  the  system  by  a  3rd  party (Independent  Safety  Assessor:  ISA)  three  firms  were  approved  in 2018-19, for supply of Kavach.
4. Subsequently  Kavach  was  adopted  as  a  National  ATP  system  in July 2020.
5. Kavach  has  so  far  been  deployed  on  1465  Route  km  and  139 locomotives  (including  Electric  Multiple  Unit  rakes)  on  South Central Railway on following sections:
- i. Lingamapalli - Vikarabad - Wadi and Vikarabad - Bidar section (265 Rkm).
7. ii.
8. iii.
9. Manmad-Mudkhed-Dhone-Guntkal section (959Rkm)
10. Bidar-Parbhani section (241Rkm)
6. Presently Kavach tenders have been awarded for Delhi - Mumbai & Delhi - Howrah corridors (approximately 3000 Route km) and work is in progress on these routes.

7. Indian  Railways  has  also  taken  up  preparatory  works  including survey, Detailed Project Report (DPR) and preparation of detailed
2. estimate on another 6000 RKm.
8. Presently  there  are  three  Indian  OEMs  who  are  approved  for Kavach. Efforts are being made to develop more OEMs to enhance the capacity and scale up the implementation of Kavach.
9. Indian Railways gives top priority to safety in train operations. In order to enhance the level of safety Indian Railway have taken a number of steps, some of which are as given below-
- i. Electrical/Electronic Interlocking Systems with centralized operation  of  points  and  signals  have  been  provided  at  6498 stations upto 31.10.2023.
- ii. Interlocking  of  Level  Crossing  (LC)  Gates  has  been  provided  at 11137 level Crossing Gates upto 31.10.2023.
- iii. Complete  Track  Circuiting  of stations to enhance  safety  for verification  of  track  occupancy  by  electrical  means  has  been provided at 6548 stations upto 31.10.2023.
- iv. Locomotives are equipped with Vigilance Control Devices (VCD) to
9. ensure alertness of Loco Pilots.
- v. Retro-reflective  sigma  boards  are  provided  on  the  mast  which  is located between two OHE masts prior to the signals in electrified territories to warn the crew about the signal ahead when visibility is low due to foggy weather.
11. A Global Positioning System (GPS) based Fog Safety Device (FSD) is provided to loco pilots in fog affected areas which enables loco pilots  to  know  the  distance  of  the  approaching  landmarks  like
- vi. signals, level crossing gates etc.

- vii. Modern  track  structure  consisting  of  60kg,  90  Ultimate  Tensile Strength (UTS) rails, Pre-stressed Concrete Sleeper (PSC) Normal/Wide base sleepers with elastic fastening, fanshaped layout turnout on PSC sleepers, Steel Channel/H-beam Sleepers on girder bridges is used while carrying out primary track renewals.
- viii. Mechanisation of track laying activity through use of track machines like PQRS, TRT, T-28 etc to reduce human errors.
- ix. Maximizing  supply  of  130m/260m  long  rail  panels  for  increasing progress  of  rail  renewal  and  avoiding  welding  of  joints,  thereby ensuring safety.
- x. Laying  of  longer  rails,  minimizing  the  use  of  Alumino  Thermic Welding  and  adoption  of  better  welding  technology  for  rails  i.e. Flash Butt Welding.
- xi. Monitoring  of  track  geometry  by  OMS  (Oscillation  Monitoring System) and TRC (Track Recording Cars).
6. xii.
7. Patrolling of railway tracks to look out for weld/rail fractures.
8. The  use  of  Thick  Web  Switches  and  Weldable  Cast  Manganese
- xiii. Steel (CMS) Crossing in turnout renewal works.
- xiv. Inspections  at  regular  intervals  are  carried  out  to  monitor  and educate staff for observance of safe practices.
- xv. Detailed  instructions  on  issues  related  with  safety  of  Track  e.g. integrated block, corridor block, worksite safety, monsoon precautions etc. have been issued.
- xvi. Preventive maintenance of railway assets (Coaches & Wagons) is undertaken to ensure safe train operations and to keep a check on Rail Accidents across the country.

- Replacement of conventional Integral Coach Factory (ICF) design coaches with Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) design coaches is being
- xvii. done.
- xviii. All unmanned level crossings (UMLCs) on Broad Gauge (BG) route have been eliminated by January 2019.
- xix. Safety of Railway Bridges is ensured through regular inspection of Bridges.  The  requirement  of  repair/rehabilitation  of  Bridges  is taken up based upon the conditions assessed during these inspections.
- xx. Indian Railways has displayed Statutory "Fire Notices" for widespread passenger information in all coaches. Fire posters are provided  in  every  coach  so  as  to  inform  and  alert  passengers regarding  various  Do's  and  Don'ts  to  prevent  fire.  These  include messages regarding not carrying any inflammable material, explosives, prohibition of smoking inside the coaches, penalties etc.
- xxi. Production  Units  are  providing  Fire  detection  and  suppression system  in  newly  manufactured  Power  Cars  and  Pantry  Cars  and Fire and Smoke detection system in newly manufactured coaches. Progressive  fitment  of  the  same  in  existing  coaches  is  also underway by Zonal Railways in a phased manner.

Owing to these steps, there has been a significant improvement in the safety  performance  of  Indian  Railways  over  the  years,  as  shown below.

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