South Western Railway (SWR) has taken big steps to boost train safety with field trials of the Standard KAVACH Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system on key Bengaluru Division routes. These trials are part of a push to roll out this homegrown safety tech across SWR's 3,692-kilometre network.
Trials rolled out in phases,starting with the 98-kilometre stretch between Tumakuru and Arsikere,wrapped up June 30. Then came tests on the 8-kilometre Malur to Devanakunti block on July 1,and the 12-kilometre Mulanur to Kuppam block on July 4. Both crucial for the 122-kilometre Whitefield to Jolarpettai route .
Designed to cut train collisions and boost safety,KAVACH acts like an electronic watchdog. Steps in during emergencies to prevent Signal Passing at Danger (SPAD),head-on and rear-end crashes,and keeps trains within speed limits . A senior official highlighted the system's strengths,noting it sends manual SOS alerts to warn oncoming trains and stops rollbacks on slopes.
“The implementation of KAVACH is expected to significantly enhance railway safety,improve service reliability,increase operational efficiency and enable smarter train operations,” the official said.
KAVACH's standout feature? Its Full Supervision (FS) Mode. This mode keeps a close eye on train movements,offering real-time updates and calculating braking curves based on conditions. If communication drops,the system can shift to limited supervision modes to maintain safety.
SWR plans to extend KAVACH's reach. By July 2026, system aims to cover the 159-kilometre Yelahanka to Dharmavaram section and the 137-kilometre Bengaluru to Mysuru stretch. The 163-kilometre Bengaluru to Dharmapuri Junction section should be done by August 2026. This phased rollout aims to improve safety across the network.
Phase 1 of KAVACH rollout will span 1,568 route kilometres on busy and critical routes,with budget of ₹628.63 crore . This includes 790 route kilometres in Hubballi and Mysuru divisions at ₹261.88 crore,and 778 route kilometres in Bengaluru and Mysuru divisions at ₹253.56 crore. Key routes: Hubballi to Ballari,Haveri to Hubballi to Londa,and Bengaluru to Jolarpettai.
Phase 2 expands KAVACH to another 2,124 route kilometres . This covers 456 route kilometres in Bengaluru Division at ₹270.70 crore,including Penukonda to Dharmavaram and Omlur to Dharmapuri. rest covers 862 route kilometres in Hubballi Division at ₹459.41 crore and 806 route kilometres in Mysuru Division at ₹436.39 crore.
SWR is prepping locomotives for KAVACH. At Krishnarajapuram shed,133 diesel and 100 electric locomotive sets are being fitted. Hubballi shed has 177 diesel and 68 electric sets on deck for installation too .
KAVACH introduction is expected to be a big leap in railway safety and efficiency,leading to smarter train operations across the SWR network .
