India Expands Kavach 4.0 Coverage | 06 Feb 2026

Source: PIB 

Indian Railways recently commissioned a record 472.3 route kilometres of Kavach Version 4.0 in a single day, the highest-ever rollout achieved in a day and month. 

• The commissioning covered key sections on Western, Northern, and East Central Railways, expanding total Kavach 4.0 coverage to 1,306.3 route kilometres across five railway zones. 

Kavach  

• About: Kavach is  India’s indigenous Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system, developed since 2012 as the Train Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) and later rechristened as Kavach (meaning “armour”). 
  • Kavach Version 4.0 is the most advanced iteration of India’s indigenous Automatic Train Protection system, developed through continuous upgrades based on operational feedback. 
• Design & Suitability: It is designed for India’s high-density, multi-line rail network, offering faster response, higher reliability, and seamless integration with existing signalling and interlocking systems. 
• Technology Base: Kavach integrates microprocessors, Global Positioning System (GPS), and radio communication to continuously monitor train position, speed, and signalling status.  
• Safety Functions: The system automatically prevents Signal Passing at Danger (SPAD),  controls overspeeding, applies brakes to avert collisions, ensures safe operation in low visibility/adverse weather, and alerts the loco pilot about wrong-direction movements and level-crossing gates. 
  • It complies with Safety Integrity Level(SIL)-4, the highest global railway safety standard and is approved by the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO).