Central Railway Successfully Conducts Loco Trials of Indigenous “KAVACH” System
On 28th September 2025, Central Railway successfully conducted the loco trials of the indigenous “KAVACH” system in the Mumbai Division. The trials took place at Somatne, Apta, and Jite stations along the Panvel–Roha section, marking a significant milestone in Indian Railways’ safety initiatives.
### First Zonal Railway to Complete Trials in All Divisions
Under the leadership of Dharam Veer Meena, General Manager of Central Railway, this achievement makes Central Railway the first Zonal Railway to complete loco trials of KAVACH across all five divisions within just six months of awarding the contract. The divisions include Mumbai, Bhusawal, Nagpur, Pune, and Solapur.
### KAVACH Implementation Across Central Railway
Earlier this year, Central Railway was the first Zonal Railway to award tenders for the installation of KAVACH on its entire rail network, covering approximately 4,000 route kilometres. The implementation process was launched in mission mode to ensure swift progress.
“After awarding tenders for KAVACH works in March 2025, we undertook detailed radio and LIDAR surveys, obtained technical approvals, conducted equipment inspections, and managed supplies promptly,” an official said. “Three priority stations per division were identified for installation after rigorous testing.”
### Training and Monitoring
The fitment of Onboard-KAVACH systems on locomotives was carried out at Bhusawal and Kalyan loco sheds. Approximately 3,000 officers and staff have been trained in KAVACH operations. Testing, network monitoring, and training facilities have been established across all divisions to support smooth implementation.
### Integrated Control Centres and Earlier Trials
The Integrated KAVACH Control Centre was inaugurated on 4th September 2025 at Bhusawal. Loco trials commenced on 10th September in the Solapur division, followed by trials in Bhusawal, Pune, and Nagpur divisions, leading up to the recent completion in Mumbai division.
### What is KAVACH?
KAVACH is an indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection system designed to prevent collisions—including head-on and rear-end accidents—if the train crew fails to stop the train. Key features of KAVACH include:
– Prevention of Signal Passing at Danger (SPAD)
– Control of train speed in restricted zones
– Onboard display of signal aspects
– Automatic whistle at level crossings
– SOS emergency features
### Strengthening Safety and Efficiency
Indian Railways is implementing KAVACH in mission mode, with the first phase in Central Railway scheduling fitment on 730 locomotives. This initiative is a significant step forward in enhancing railway safety, operational efficiency, and passenger comfort across the network.
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Central Railway’s successful completion of KAVACH loco trials across all divisions highlights its commitment to pioneering indigenous technology for safer and more reliable train operations.
https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/central-railway-completes-loco-trials-of-indigenous-kavach-system-across-mumbai-division
