• Source:JND
Add as a preferred

Maharashtra:  In a major boost to passengers' safety, the Western Railway has announced to upgrade Mumbai local trains with ‘Kavach’, a homegrown safety system, by the end of next year. Kavach is a state-of-the-art electronic safety system, developed under the Make In India initiative, which is being installed on Delhi-Mumbai and other major routes. Installation work has started and is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. Earlier, the Auxiliary Warning System (AWS) was used as an onboard safety system.

What Is Kavach?

Kavach is an automatic safety system developed to automatically control train speed, prevent collisions, and ensure safe operations even when human error might pose a threat. It is set to replace Auxiliary Warning System (AWS), which is used as a safety system in trains.

Kavach is equipped with advanced features to prevent collisions, manage train movements and ensure safe operations. It improves operational efficiency by ensuring real-time communication between trains and signalling stations, without the need for manual response.

 ALSO READ: Marathi Locals Attacked By Migrants Over Tender-Related Dispute In Thane; One Arrested, Security Stepped Up

Several key features of Kavach include automatic brake application in case of red signal violations, compatibility with existing signalling infrastructure, in-cab signalling for safer operations in low-visibility conditions, prevention of rear-end and head-on collisions, continuous speed monitoring, and quick response during emergencies, the West Central official stated.

In comparison to Kavach, AWS is a system safety which has an alarm that alerts the driver about the upcoming signal to prevent collisions. It is equipped with additional features like speed monitoring or braking assistance. “The AWS panel in the motorman's cab has an alarm, a vigilance button, and red, yellow, or blue lights. If the alarm sounds, the motorman must press the button within four seconds, or the brakes will activate and stay locked until the train stops completely,” an official told PTI.

However, AWS is being replaced with Kavach as AWS falls short in preventing crticial safety incidents such as Signal Passed at Danger and signal jumping. It has limited automation and is more reliant on manual response, the official added.

Transition From AWS To Kavach

Western Railway, which operates more than 1,400 suburban services daily on the Churchgate-Virar-Dahanu segment with a fleet of 110 electrical multiple units (EMUs), has a daily ridership of more than 30 lakh, news agency PTI reported. To ensure passenger safety, all suburban trains, in addition to the mainline locomotive, will be equipped with Kavach by the end of next year.

The Western Railway has laid down a plan to implement Kavach on over 2,358 kilometres of train route, with its commissioning on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route expected by the end of the year.

ALSO READ: Girl Caught Eating Chole-Bhature With Lover, Angry Brother Pulls Her Hair And Thrashes Him In Viral Video

Speaking to PTI, Western Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Vineet Abhishek said, “Kavach is poised to significantly improve railway signalling systems and ensure enhanced passenger safety. Deployment of Kavach will not only enhance security in the service but also aid efficiency.”