Indian Railways approves Rs 341 crore Kavach project: How automatic train protection system works

2 min readJun 15, 2026 03:38 PM IST

Indian Railways has approved a Rs 341 crore project to expand Kavach, the indigenous automatic train protection system designed to improve rail safety. (Image generated using AI)

Indian Railways Kavach System: The Ministry of Railways has approved a Rs 341 crore project to deploy Kavach, an indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system, across several key routes to improve operational safety, prevent train collisions and over-speeding. It also makes rail operation safer by applying brakes in trains in critical situations.

Indian Railways approves Rs 341 crore Kavach project (Image: Ministry of Railways)

Indian Railways Kavach expansion

On Monday, the national transporter approved the installation of Kavach Version 4.0 on 598 Route km (RKM) covering 48 block sections of the Ahmedabad Division of Western Railway in Gujarat. The project has been sanctioned at a cost of Rs 140 crore.

“The work has been approved under the umbrella programme for the provision of Kavach with LTE-based communication backbone on balance routes of Indian Railways,” it said in a statement. Earlier, Kavach work had been sanctioned on around 702 RKM in the Ahmedabad Division.

Similarly, Indian Railways also approved the implementation of Kavach on 811 RKM at a sanctioned cost of Rs 201 crore in the Ambala Division of Northern Railway. It will cover important sections such as:

Ambala Cantonment-Ludhiana

Kalka-Chandigarh-New Morinda-Sahnewal

Sirhind-Daulatpur Chowk

Rajpura-Bathinda-Shri Ganganagar

Ludhiana-Dhuri-Jakhal sections

“These routes serve as key rail corridors connecting the states of Haryana, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. They handle substantial passenger and freight traffic and play an important role in the movement of people and goods across the region,” it said.

Kavach Version 4.0 is the most advanced version of India’s indigenous Automatic Train Protection system. (Image: Ministry of Railways)

Kavach 4.0: Here’s how the automatic train protection system works

The Kavach is an makes rail operation safer by applying brakes in trains in critical situations. The system automatically protects against Signal Passing at Danger (SPAD), Head-on and rear-ends collision risks. Moreover, Overspeeding is continuously monitored and controlled and Safety is ensured even in low visibility and adverse weather conditions. It complies with SIL-4 safety standards, the highest level of safety integrity globally.

Anish Mondal is a journalist with over nine years of experience covering the railways and roadways. Currently a member of the Indianexpress.com editorial team, Anish specializes in high-impact sectors.

Professional Journey

Anish began his career at the public broadcaster Rajya Sabha Television (now Sansad TV), where he developed a foundational understanding of legislative processes and national governance. In 2018, he transitioned to digital financial journalism at FinancialExpress.com, spending nearly six years refining his expertise in market trends and corporate reporting. Before joining The Indian Express in 2025, he served as a key contributor at ETNowNews.com.

Education & Expertise

Anish’s reporting is backed by a rigorous academic background in communication and the humanities:

Master of Journalism and Mass Communication (MJMC) – Apeejay Stya University

Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism and Production (PGTVRJP) – Apeejay Institute of Mass Communication

Bachelor of Arts (English Honours) – University of Calcutta

Areas of Coverage

Connectivity: Detailed reporting on the expansion of Indian Railways and National Highway networks. ... Read More

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