Kavach 4.0: Railway Safety Facts for UPSC

Kavach 4.0 has reached the Karchana–Mirzapur section of the Delhi–Howrah railway corridor. The commissioning adds to India’s railway safety technology coverage.

Quick answer: North Central Railway has commissioned Kavach 4.0 on the 69.5-km Karchana–Mirzapur section of the Delhi–Howrah route. Consequently, its Kavach network has reached 785 route kilometres. The indigenous Automatic Train Protection system applies brakes in critical situations and helps address overspeeding and collision risks.

What is Kavach 4.0?

Kavach 4.0 is the latest version discussed here of India’s indigenous Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system. Indian Railways adopted Kavach as its national ATP system in July 2020. It applies brakes in critical situations and continuously monitors and controls overspeeding.

Additionally, Kavach protects against Signal Passing at Danger (SPAD) and head-on and rear-end collision risks. SPAD occurs when a train passes a signal displaying danger. The system also supports safety in low visibility and adverse weather.

Where was the system commissioned?

North Central Railway commissioned the system between Karchana and Mirzapur on the Delhi–Howrah corridor. The 69.5-km section brings its Kavach coverage to 785 route kilometres, not 785 km of newly commissioned track.

For wider context, see CBL’s discussion of infrastructure and connectivity.

What changed in version 4.0?

Version 4.0 improves location accuracy and interfaces with railway signalling infrastructure. Its main improvements include:

• Location accuracy: The version improves the accuracy of train location information.
• Large yards: It provides better information on signal aspects in bigger yards.
• Station interface: It provides a station-to-station Kavach interface using optical fibre cable.
• Electronic interlocking: It interfaces directly with the existing Electronic Interlocking System.

Moreover, the system complies with Safety Integrity Level 4 (SIL-4), the highest safety integrity level. Electronic interlocking controls signalling arrangements to prevent conflicting train movements.

What does installation cost and why does it matter?

The Ministry of Railways estimates trackside and station equipment costs at approximately ₹50 lakh per km. Locomotive equipment costs approximately ₹80 lakh per locomotive. These are separate cost measures, so they should not be added as a single per-kilometre figure.

Indigenous design reduces dependence on imported technology. Additionally, automatic intervention can support safer operations when drivers face overspeeding or danger-signal risks.

Source: The Indian Express, 2 November 2026

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