IGI Logo

The South Central Railway has successfully completed Kavach field trials for 487 route kilometres during 2025-26, surpassing the target set by the Railway Board. 

Kavach is an indigenously developed safety system designed to prevent accidents caused by human error.

It can automatically apply brakes if a train passes a signal at danger and helps ensure safe train operations by continuously monitoring speed and signals.

The South Central Railway (SCR) said on Sunday that it has given special thrust to safety enhancement measures, and in this direction, steps were taken for the installation of Kavach 4.0 across the SCR network during the last financial year 2025-26. 

Accordingly, the Zone has successfully completed field trials for a distance of 487 route kms by surpassing the Railway Board’s target of 402 route kms. 

The SCR said in a statement that meticulous planning and effective implementation have resulted in this stupendous achievement. 

The Zone has also commissioned Automatic Block Signalling, which helps in increasing section capacity, for a distance of 479 route Kms (Rkms) against the target of 357 Rkms during the last financial year. 

The field trials of Kavach 4.0 installation were conducted in the sections between Kazipet - Peddampet (101 Rkm), Malkajgiri - Kamareddi (106 Rkm), Charlapalli - Raghunathpalli (79 Rkm), Guntakal - Raichur (120 Rkm), Mudkhed - Parbhani (81 Rkm). Loco Kavach trials were also successfully commissioned in these sections. 

During the last financial year 2025-26, SCR has commissioned Automatic Block Signalling in different sections between Kazipet - Balharshah, Vijayawada - Duvvada and Wadi - Renigunta for a distance of 479 Rkms. 

Automatic Block Signalling is a system of train working in which the movement of the trains is controlled by the automatic stop signals. These signals are operated automatically by the passage of trains. 

ABS operation is designed to allow trains operating in the same direction to follow each other in a safe manner without risk of rear-end collision. It reduces railway costs, helps in improving the capacity of the section and also in increasing the average speed of the trains. 

This system is initially being commissioned in the high-density and grand trunk routes of the SCR network. 

Sanjay Kumar Srivastava, General Manager, SCR, has complimented the Signal and Telecommunications wing officials at both the Zonal and Divisional levels for their extraordinary contribution, which helped the Zone to achieve the record commissioning of Automatic Block Signalling and Kavach field trials. 

The General Manager also stated that Kavach and ABS will be taken up with top priority during the current financial year to strengthen safety.