Context:
- The Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed the Lok Sabha that India has successfully commissioned the Kavach Anti-Collision System on over 2,000 km of railway tracks, marking a major step towards rail safety modernisation.
- The statement came amid parliamentary questions on rail accidents and passenger safety.
Key Highlights:
Government Initiative / Technology Details
- Kavach is an indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system.
- It prevents train collisions, overspeeding, and signal passing at danger (SPAD) through automatic braking.
- Core components include:
- Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
- Fibre Optic Communication (OFC)
- On-board systems in locomotives
- Trackside equipment and telecom towers
Infrastructure and Scale
- Installed across 2,000 km of rail network.
- Supported by:
- 860 telecom towers
- 867 stations
- 26,000 route km of OFC
- 4,154 locomotives equipped
- The system operates in all weather conditions, including fog and low visibility.
Rail Accident Trends
- The Minister stated that consequential rail accidents have declined by over 90% since 2005.
- Emphasised that railways remain a highly complex system requiring phased, calibrated safety upgrades.
Implementation Challenges
- High cost and technical complexity.
- Requirement of line-by-line installation, making rapid nationwide rollout difficult.
- Each rail route needs customised deployment.
Future Roadmap
- Kavach is being expanded under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme and other safety programmes.
- Rollout is prioritised on high-density and high-speed corridors.
- Technology upgrades are being pursued to make the system train-agnostic and scalable.
Significance / Concerns
- Enhances passenger safety and operational efficiency.
- Demonstrates India’s push for indigenous railway technologies.
- However, slower rollout raises concerns about coverage gaps.
Relevant Mains Points:
Facts, Provisions, Definitions
- Automatic Train Protection (ATP): A system that automatically stops or slows trains to prevent accidents.
- Kavach aligns with Atmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives.
- Rail safety is a critical component of transport infrastructure governance.
Conceptual & Static Linkages
- Role of technology in reducing human error in public systems.
- Infrastructure safety as a component of economic productivity and public trust.
- Indigenous innovation in strategic sectors.
Way Forward:
- Accelerate Kavach deployment on busy routes and vulnerable sections.
- Allocate sustained funding for safety technologies.
- Continuous upgradation and interoperability with future rail systems (high-speed rail, freight corridors).
- Independent safety audits and transparent reporting.
UPSC Relevance (GS-wise):
- GS II: Governance, public infrastructure
- GS III: Transport, science & technology, safety systems
- GS IV: Ethics in public service, duty of care and safety