Western Railway to install 'Kavach' anti-collision system on Mumbai local trains

Representational Image. File Pic

With frequent train incidents being reported recently in the past few days, Western Railways is now set to equip the Mumbai local trains with the indigenous anti-collision system, known as ‘Kavach.' In a major boost to commuter safety on one of the world's busiest suburban rail networks, ‘Kavach' will be implemented on all the local trains in Mumbai by the end of next year, officials have said.

As reported by the news agency PTI, Kavach is a state-of-the-art electronic system that has been developed under the 'Make in India' initiative. The state-of-the-art railway safety system is currently being installed on the Delhi-Mumbai as well as some other trunk routes.

The indigenously designed Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system will automatically control train speed, prevent collisions, and ensure safe operations even when human error might pose a threat. As per the reports, the ‘Kavach' system will replace the Auxiliary Warning System (AWS) presently used as an onboard safety device by Western Railway, officials said on Sunday.

Western Railway, which is a source of commute for almost 30 lakh people daily, operates more than 1,400 suburban services daily on the Churchgate-Virar-Dahanu segment with a fleet of 110 electrical multiple units (EMUs) and aims to make the safety of the passengers one of their priorities.

While addressing the ‘Kavach' system, one of the officials also said that ‘AWS has an audible warning system that alerts the driver about the aspect of the upcoming signal, along with additional features like speed monitoring and braking assistance.'

The Western Railway official also highlighted that "The AWS panel in the motorman's cab has an alarm, a vigilance button, and red, yellow, or blue lights. If the alarm sounds, the motorman must press the button within four seconds, or the brakes will activate and stay locked until the train stops completely," as cited by news agency PTI.

However, according to railway officials, the AWS often falls short in preventing critical safety incidents such as Signal Passed at Danger (SPAD) and signal jumping.

They also mentioned that the AWS system's limited automation and reliance on manual response reduce its effectiveness in averting potential accidents, as per PTI.

To enlighten the people more about ‘Kavach,' the officials said, "Kavach is better than the existing AWS, as it integrates advanced features designed to prevent collisions, manage train movements, and ensure adherence to signal systems."

The system ensures real-time communication between trains and signalling stations, reducing human error and improving operational efficiency.

Key features include automatic brake application in case of red signal violations, compatibility with existing signalling infrastructure, and in-cab signalling for safer operations in low-visibility conditions, they added.

Kavach also prevents rear-end and head-on collisions, monitors speed continuously, and enables faster response during emergencies, officials said.

To hail the initiative by the Western Railways, one of the senior officials also asserted that "work has begun on the transition to Kavach. All suburban locals on Western Railway will be equipped with Kavach in addition to mainline locomotives by the end of next year. This step marks a significant improvement in onboard safety and collision prevention," as cited by news agency PTI.

A senior Western Railway official also added that "the system continuously monitors train movement, compares it against permissible speed limits and signal indications, and automatically intervenes to apply brakes if needed," according to news agency PTI.

"As of 2025, Western Railway has laid out plans to implement Kavach on over 2,358 route kilometres, with its commissioning on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route expected by the end of the current fiscal year," the officials stated.

(With inputs from PTI)