Lok Sabha Question No. 4551 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-20
Subject: Installation of Anti Collision Devices in Railway
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Shri Anand Bhadauria

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4551 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.08.2025

## INSTALLATION OF ANTI COLLISION DEVICES IN RAILWAY

## 4551. SHRI ANAND BHADAURIA:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether pace of installation of anti collision device in trains and railway routes is very slow and Railways would complete the installation of the same by 2060;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) if not, the timeline by which all trains and rail routes would be equipped with Kavach system;
- (d) the details of fund required for the same; and
- (e) the  details  of  fund  allocated,  released  and  utilised  for  installation  of Kavach during the current fiscal year along with the physical progress made in installation of the same, Zone-wise?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND

## ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(a) to (e) :-

1. Kavach  is an indigenously designed,  developed,  and  manufactured Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system. Kavach is a highly technology intensive  system,  which  requires  safety  certification  of  highest  order (SIL-4).

2. Kavach  aids  the  Loco  Pilot  in  running  of  trains  within  specified  speed limits by automatic application of brakes in case Loco Pilot fails to do so and also helps the trains to run safely during inclement weather.
3. The  first  field  trials  on  the  passenger  trains  were  started  in  February 2016. Based on the experience gained and Independent Safety Assessment of the system by Independent Safety Assessor (ISA),  three firms were approved in 2018-19, for supply of Kavach Ver 3.2.
3. 4.
4. 5.
5. Kavach was adopted as National ATP system in July 2020.
6. Implementation of Kavach System involves following Key Activities:
- i. Installation  of  Station  Kavach  at  each  and  every  station,  block section.
8. ii.
9. iii.
10. iv.
11. Installation of RFID Tags throughout the track length.
12. Installation of telecom Towers throughout the section.
13. Laying of Optical Fibre Cable along the track.
- v. Provision of Loco Kavach on each and every Locomotive running on Indian Railways.
15. Based  on  deployment  of  Kavach  version  3.2  on  1,465  RKm  on  south central  Railway,  a  lot  of  experience  was  gained.  Using  that  further improvements were made. Finally, Kavach specification version 4.0 was
6. approved by RDSO on 16.07.2024.
7. Kavach version 4.0 covers all the major features required for the diverse railway  network.  This  is  a  significant  milestone  in  safety  for  Indian Railways.  Within  a  short  period,  IR  has  developed,  tested  and  started deploying Automatic Train Protection System.

8. Major improvement in Version 4.0 includes increased Location Accuracy, Improved Information of Signal Aspects in bigger yards, Station to Station Kavach  interface  on  OFC  and  Direct  Interface  to  existing  Electronic Interlocking System. With these improvements, Kavach Ver.4.0. is planned for large scale deployment over Indian Railways.
9. After extensive and elaborate trials in 324 kms of Mathura-Kota section for advance version of Kavach 4.0, this section is approved by Independent Safety Assessor (ISA).    This  is  also  the  first  section  to  be approved by ISA.  Kavach Version 4.0 has been commissioned over KotaMathura section covering 324 Route Kilometers on 30.07.2025.
10. Progress of Key items comprising Kavach system on Indian Railways upto 15.08.2025 is as under:-
11. Project for equipping 10,000 Locomotives has been finalized. 69 number of loco sheds have been prepared for equipping with Kavach.
12. Bids for track side Works of Kavach for approximately 15,000 RKm have been invited covering all GQ, GD,  HDN and identified sections of Indian Railways, out of which works of 14,954 RKm have been awarded.

| SN   | Items                                | Progress    |
|------|--------------------------------------|-------------|
| i.   | Laying of Optical Fibre Cable        | 5,870 Km    |
| ii.  | Installation of Telecom Towers       | 638 Nos.    |
| iii. | Provision of Kavach at Stations      | 708 Nos.    |
| iv.  | Provision of Kavach in Loco          | 1,348 Locos |
| v.   | Installation of Track side equipment | 4,012 Rkm   |

13. Specialized  training  programmes  on  Kavach  are  being  conducted  at centralized training institutes of Indian Railways to impart training to all concerned officials. By now more than 30,000 technicians, operators and engineers have been trained on Kavach technology. Courses have been designed in collaboration with IRISET.
14. The  cost  for  provision  of  Track  Side  including  Station  equipment  of Kavach  is  approximately  Rs.  50  Lakhs/Km  and  cost  for  provision  of Kavach equipment on locomotives is approximately Rs. 80 Lakh/Loco.
15. The  funds  utilized  on  Kavach  works  so  far  up  to  July'25  is  Rs.  2,091 Crores.  The  allocation  of  funds  during  the  year  2025-26  is  Rs.  1,673.19 Crores. Requisite funds are made available as per the progress of works.

*****