India’s indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection system, Kavach 4.0, has been commissioned on Gujarat’s first Bajwa (Vadodara)–Ahmedabad rail section, covering a 96-km stretch. The project includes 17 stations and robust safety infrastructure comprising 23 towers, 20 Kavach buildings/huts, 192 km of optical fibre cable, and the installation of 2,872 RFID tags.

The maiden Kavach-enabled service on this route was the Sankalp Fast Passenger (59549/59550), operated using WAP-7 locomotives with 11 LHB coaches. Kavach 4.0 is now fully operational on the section.

Kavach 4.0 is designed to automatically prevent safety risks by addressing Signal Passed at Danger (SPAD) situations, enforcing automatic speed control—including sectional speed, loop line, and Permanent Speed Restriction supervision—and protecting against head-on and rear-end collisions. Additional features include an SOS facility and automatic whistling at level-crossing gates. So far, Kavach has been implemented across more than 2,200 route kilometres.

Kavach is an indigenously developed ATP system of Indian Railways, certified to Safety Integrity Level-4 (SIL-4), among the highest global safety standards in railway signalling. It assists loco pilots by automatically applying brakes when speed limits are exceeded or safety is compromised, enhancing operational safety even during adverse weather conditions.

Continuous improvements based on operational experience and independent safety assessments led to the approval of Kavach Version 4.0 by Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO). Kavach 4.0 introduces key enhancements such as improved location accuracy, better signal aspect information in complex station yards, station-to-station interfacing through optical fibre for faster and more reliable communication, and direct integration with existing electronic interlocking systems.

Certified by an Independent Safety Assessor to meet global safety standards, the commissioning of Kavach 4.0 on the Bajwa (Vadodara)–Ahmedabad section reinforces Indian Railways’ focus on indigenous safety technologies, strengthening passenger safety, improving operational reliability, and advancing the vision of a safer, smarter rail network.