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 railway safety and technology.
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.
KAVACH Implementation Across Central Railway
Earlier this year, Central Railway became the first Zonal Railway to award tenders for KAVACH installation across its entire rail network of approximately 4,000 route kilometres. This network spans five divisions: Mumbai, Bhusawal, Nagpur, Pune, and Solapur.
“After awarding tenders for KAVACH works in March 2025, the implementation was taken up in mission mode. Detailed radio and LIDAR surveys, technical approvals, equipment inspections, and supply were completed swiftly. Three priority stations per division were identified for installation after rigorous testing,” said a senior official.
Training and Monitoring Efforts
Fitment of Onboard-KAVACH on locomotives was undertaken at Bhusawal and Kalyan loco sheds. Approximately 3,000 officers and staff have been trained in KAVACH operations, with testing, network monitoring, and training facilities established across all five divisions.
Integrated Control Centres and Earlier Trials
The Integrated KAVACH Control Centre was inaugurated on 4th September 2025 at Bhusawal. The first loco trials began on 10th September in the Solapur division, followed by trials in the Bhusawal, Pune, and Nagpur divisions.
What is KAVACH?
KAVACH is an indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection system designed to enhance rail safety by preventing collisions, including head-on and rear-end accidents, in cases where train crew fail to stop. Its key features include:
- Prevention of Signal Passing at Danger (SPAD)
- Control of train speed in restricted zones
- Onboard display of signal aspects
- Automatic whistle activation at level crossings
- SOS emergency features
Indian Railways is implementing KAVACH in a mission mode, with 730 locomotives in Central Railway’s first phase scheduled for fitment. This initiative is set to strengthen safety, operational efficiency, and passenger comfort across the network.
