Newz Desk, Durgapur: The Indian Railways has achieved a major milestone in rail safety with the indigenous anti-collision system Kavach being fully commissioned across more than 2,000 km of the national rail network, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
Speaking during Question Hour, the Minister described Kavach as a sophisticated Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system that integrates multiple technological components to prevent collisions and overspeeding. He said its deployment involves extensive infrastructure work, including the continuous laying of optical fibre cables along railway tracks and the installation of dedicated telecom towers to ensure uninterrupted communication.
According to official data shared in Parliament, the Railways has laid over 7,100 km of optical fibre cable, erected more than 860 telecom towers, and connected 767 railway stations to centralised data centres. Track-side equipment has been installed along over 3,400 km, while more than 4,100 locomotives have already been fitted with Kavach-compatible systems.
The Minister highlighted that the impact of enhanced safety measures has been significant, with consequential train accidents reducing by nearly 90% over the past decade. He attributed this decline to a combination of modern safety technologies, improved maintenance practices and focused training programmes.
Addressing concerns about disruptions during station redevelopment, Mr. Vaishnaw said upgrading railway stations without halting train services was a complex challenge unique to India. Unlike some countries that suspend rail operations for years during redevelopment, India must continue serving its daily passenger load of nearly 7.5 crore people.
He added that railway stations are being modernised under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, which follows a phased, master plan-based approach to ensure long-term improvements without compromising operations.
Emphasising the human element behind the technology, the Minister noted that around 40,000 technicians and operators have been trained to manage and maintain Kavach, calling it a crucial step in building a safer and more reliable railway system.
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