THE Electric Loco Shed at Ajni, under Nagpur Division of Central Railway, has achieved an important milestone by dispatching its first locomotive equipped with advanced Automatic Train Protection System (ATPS) known as Kavach. This is a major step towards making railway travel safer and reducing chances of accidents caused by human error. ‘Kavach’ is India’s indigenous Train Collision Avoidance System (TCAS). It has been developed by Indian Railways with the goal of achieving ‘zero accidents’.

 

The system uses state-of-the-art technology and carries highest international safety certification, called Safety Integrity Level-4 (SIL-4). This means the system meets the highest standards of reliability and performance. Prevent train collisions: THE main purpose of Kavach is to prevent train collisions. It has been designed so that if two trains are on the same track within a fixed distance, the system will automatically stop the locomotive. This technology helps avoid accidents that may occur if a train driver misses a signal, ignores a red light, or is unable to apply brakes on time. If the driver fails to respond, Kavach automatically activates the braking system and brings the train to a safe halt. As part of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative,

 

Indian Railways plans to install ‘Kavach’ in about 10,000 locomotives across the country. Out of these, 312 three-phase electric locomotives at Electric Loco Shed Ajni will also be upgraded with this system. The first locomotive to receive ‘Kavach’ at Ajni is WAG-9 locomotive No 31104. The system has been supplied by Karnex Microsystems India Limited, Hyderabad. Kavach includes several important devices such as a computer system, UHF/GSM radio antenna, RFID reader, Brake Interface Unit and an operation-cum-indication panel for the loco pilot.

 

These components are installed both inside the locomotive and in its underframe. Constant communication between station and locomotive: The Kavach system works through constant communication between Station TCAS units and Loco TCAS units. Every two seconds, both systems exchange information using radio signals. A GPS clock keeps both systems synchronised. The station system collects data from the track and signals, calculates the movement authority for the train, and sends information to the locomotive.

 

This helps the locomotive receive real-time updates about upcoming signals, speed limits and any potential dangers on the track. After installation at Ajni, the system was successfully tested on a special test track prepared inside the Electric Loco Shed. These tests confirmed the smooth functioning of all safety features. A press release by Central Railway informed that Kavach offers many important safety benefits.

 

It prevents over-speeding, displays signal aspects inside the loco cab, automatically blows the horn at level crossing gates and can stop trains anywhere by sending an emergency SOS message. The system also keeps track of safe braking distance at all times. Electric Loco Shed Ajni will soon install Kavach in all 312 locomotives under its maintenance. This achievement marks a major move towards safer and accident-free travel for passengers across Indian Railways.