Kavach system
Context
- A ghastly train accident took place on 2nd June 2023 and killed approximately 288 passengers.
What is Kavach?
- It is India’s own automatic protection system, which is in development since 2012, under the name Train Collision Avoidance System (TCAS), which got rechristened Kavach or “armour”.
- It is a set of electronic devices and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) devices installed in locomotives, in the signalling system as well as the tracks.
- They connect to each other using ultra high radio frequencies to control the brakes of trains and also alert drivers, all based on the logic programmed into them.
- TCAS or Kavach includes the key elements from already existing, and tried and tested systems like the European Train Protection and Warning System, and the indigenous Anti Collision Device.
- It will also carry features of the high-tech European Train Control System Level-2 in future.
- The current form of Kavach adheres to the highest level of safety and reliability standard called Safety Integrity Level (SIL)4.
- SIL comes from two voluntary standards used by plant owners/operators to quantify safety performance requirements for hazardous operations.
- There are four SIL Levels (1-4). A higher SIL Level means a greater process hazard and a higher level of protection required.
- In the new avatar, India wants to position Kavach as an exportable system, a cheaper alternative to the European systems in vogue across the world.
- While now Kavach uses Ultra High Frequency, work is on to make it compatible with 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology and make the product for global markets.
- Work is on to make the system such that it can be compatible with other already installed systems globally.
What is the Significance?
Safety:
- The Kavach system will help prevent accidents on rail tracks like collision of trains.
- Once the system is activated, all trains within a 5-km range will halt to provide protection for trains on adjacent tracks.
- Currently, the loco-pilots or assistant loco-pilots have to look out for caution signs and signals.
Cost:
- It will only cost Rs 50 lakh per kilometre to operate in comparison to about Rs 2 crore worldwide.
Communication:
- It will also include stationary equipment to gather signalling inputs and relay them to a central system to enable seamless communication with the train crew and stations.
Implementation of Kavach:
- One of the pioneers of the implementation of Kavach-TACS is South Central Railway (SCR) Zone.
- The Secunderabad-based Indian Railways Institute of Signal Engineering & Telecommunications (IRISET) hosts the ‘Centre of Excellence’ for Kavach.
- It trains the in-service railway staff on Kavach.
Kavach Deployment Strategy:
- The railway board is implementing Kavach in a focused and phased manner beginning with high-density routes like New Delhi-Mumbai and New Delhi-Howrah Sections.
- The next priority is Highly Used Networks followed by Passenger High-Density Routes and all other routes.