Revolutionizing Railway Safety: Kavach System Debuts in Vande Bharat Railways
Inauguration of Hubli-Pune Vande Bharat Express Postponed to September 16, Route Details HereÂ
In a significant development on Friday, February 16, 2024, the Agra Railway Division unveiled an automatic braking system, dubbed ‘Kavach,’ in an eight-car Vande Bharat train. This pioneering feature, designed to prevent collisions, automatically engages brakes if the pilot fails to do so under any circumstances.
The trial commenced at 9:30 AM, spanning between Mathura and Palwal, with repeated tests in both directions until 2:00 PM. Remarkably, during the inaugural trial, the locomotive pilots refrained from applying brakes, yet the train, hurtling at 160 Kmph, autonomously halted 10 meters before a red signal.
Prashasti Srivastava, Agra Railway Division PRO, affirmed, “The parameters derived from this trial will now be standardized for all eight-car Vande Bharat trains nationwide.”
Crafted by the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO), the Kavach system promises to enhance operational safety by intervening during emergencies when a locomotive pilot fails to act promptly. As part of a comprehensive safety overhaul, Indian Railways is rolling out three essential components across its network: station Kavach, RFID tags spanning the track’s length, and Kavach towers lining the routes.
