All About Kavach, An Anti-Collision System For Trains

Kavach, which means armour, is an anti-collision system developed to achieve the goal of “zero accidents”

The collision between three trains in Odisha's Balasore has claimed at least 238 lives and injured around 900 others. The crash took place around 7 pm on Friday when the Coromandel Shalimar Express derailed before hitting a goods train. Another train, the Yesvantpur-Howrah Superfast, then crashed into the derailed coaches. SPAD test, tried crossing signal at red. Kavach is protecting and not allowing the Loco to move.#BharatKaKavachpic.twitter.com/x6Ys9iz9xJ

To prevent such collisions between trains, an indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system named Kavach was introduced by the Indian Railways. The system was developed to enhance the safety and efficiency of running trains. However, 'Kavach' was not available on this route in Odisha. 

What is Kavach?

Kavach, which means armour, is an anti-collision system developed by the Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO) to achieve the goal of "zero accidents". According to the railways, it is the cheapest automatic train collision protection system. The technology is Safety Integrity Level 4 (SIL-4) certified, the highest certification level. It means that there is a probability of just one error by Kavach in 10,000 years.