Indian Railways has approved deployment of Kavach Version 4.0 on the remaining sections covering 712 route kilometres of the Moradabad Division, Northern Railway, at a total cost of ₹170 crore, as part of a comprehensive ₹675 crore safety and infrastructure upgrade package. The approved work will strengthen the division's safety infrastructure through deployment of the indigenous Automatic Train Protection system, providing an advanced safety layer for train operations across the identified sections. The ₹170-crore project is part of Indian Railways' wider programme to expand Kavach coverage across the national railway network, with the latest approval covering the remaining sections of Moradabad Division to ensure a larger portion of the network benefits from advanced train protection technology.
Kavach is an indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system designed to enhance operational safety by working alongside existing railway signalling systems and assisting loco pilots in maintaining safe train operations. The system helps prevent Signal Passing at Danger (SPAD), automatically applies brakes when required to avert unsafe situations, controls train speed in critical conditions, and significantly reduces the risk of collisions. Kavach Version 4.0 includes direct interface with existing Electronic Interlocking Systems, station-to-station communication through optical fibre cable, and improved location accuracy. The technology is intended to provide an additional safety layer rather than replace the role of the loco pilot, with the system designed to monitor train movement and speed and initiate braking when necessary under defined safety conditions. Kavach is developed specifically for Indian railway operating conditions and is being expanded as part of the national effort to modernise train control and signalling infrastructure.
Another ₹233 crore project has been approved for installing Electronic Interlocking at 21 stations in the Samastipur Division of East Central Railway, involving replacement of existing Panel Interlocking systems with modern computer-based Electronic Interlocking technology. The upgraded system is expected to improve signalling reliability, enable faster fault diagnosis, simplify maintenance and provide greater operational flexibility. The modern signalling infrastructure will also facilitate the implementation of Kavach, strengthening safety arrangements in the division. This modernisation represents a significant upgrade from traditional panel systems to computer-based interlocking technology, enhancing overall railway safety and operational efficiency across the network.
Indian Railways has approved a ₹272 crore project to construct an 11-km bypass line between Adra end and Joychandipahar in South Eastern Railway, designed to provide dedicated path segregation and bi-directional connection to the upcoming third line. The Adra-Joychandipahar-Sanka bypass is expected to facilitate the movement of an estimated 6.065 freight rakes per day and cater to rising industrial traffic, particularly supporting freight requirements linked to SAIL's 23.40 MTPA iron ore demand and BCCL's projection of 45 rakes per day. With the existing network operating at around 71 per cent utilisation, the bypass is expected to improve operational efficiency and reduce congestion. The project is also expected to facilitate an additional 8.88 MTPA of traffic after completion, with the current line capacity of the Joychandipahar-Adra section projected to rise from 47.50 per cent to 56.45 per cent by 2028-29.
Safety on Indian Railways has shown remarkable improvement, with train accidents dropping 88 per cent to 16 incidents in 2025–26 from 135 in 2014–15 and just two in the current year up to June, according to the ministry statement from July. The Consequential Accident Index, accidents per million train-kilometres, fell to 0.01 in 2025–26 from 0.11 in 2014–15, marking a reduction of about 91 per cent. By helping prevent SPAD incidents and controlling train speeds, Kavach can significantly reduce the possibility of collisions resulting from certain operational errors or failures to respond to signalling indications.
As of 31 July 2026, Kavach Version 4.0 had been commissioned across 2,633 route kilometres in India, with the commissioned network including 1,423 route km on the Delhi-Mumbai corridor and 1,210 route km on the Delhi-Howrah corridor. Trackside Kavach deployment has been initiated across 21,794 route kilometres covering the High Density Network, the Golden Quadrilateral, and the Golden Diagonal. The programme also includes 11,547 km of optical fibre cable, 1,721 telecom towers, and station data centres at 1,009 stations, demonstrating the comprehensive nature of India's railway safety modernisation efforts. The deployment of Kavach 4.0 across the remaining 712 Rkm is expected to enhance protection against SPAD, unsafe speeds and collision risks while supporting safer and more efficient railway operations.
