Indian Railways has successfully commissioned Kavach 4.0, the latest version of its indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system, on the Mathura-Kota section of the critical Delhi-Mumbai high-density corridor. This milestone reflects India's growing emphasis on leveraging homegrown technology to enhance railway safety and efficiency.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Railways and recent remarks by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Kavach 4.0 has been designed, developed, and manufactured entirely in India, underscoring the government's "Atmanirbhar Bharat" (self-reliant India) initiative. The Research Designs & Standards Organisation (RDSO) approved the system in July 2024 and again in May 2025 following rigorous trials.

Kavach operates at Safety Integrity Level 4 (SIL-4), the highest level of safety certification for such systems, and prevents collisions by automatically regulating train speed and applying brakes when necessary. First tested on the South Central Railway in 2018, Kavach has evolved into a highly integrated system that combines RFID tagging, telecommunication infrastructure, and onboard equipment.

The implementation is akin to establishing a full-fledged telecom network, officials said. Each kilometre of railway is embedded with RFID tags, supported by telecom towers and optical fibre cables for real-time communication between locomotives, stations, and control centres. This capability allows trains to operate safely even under low visibility or adverse weather conditions.

As per official railway sources:
• 5,856 kilometres of optical fibre have been laid,
• 619 telecom towers erected,
• 708 stations and 1,107 locomotives equipped with Kavach-compatible systems,
• 4,001 route kilometres fitted with trackside equipment.

Over 30,000 railway personnel have been trained to support this transformation, and the Indian Railways Institute of Signal Engineering and Telecommunications (IRISET) has collaborated with 17 engineering institutions to incorporate Kavach into their academic programs.

Minister Vaishnaw emphasized that the rollout is part of a larger strategy, supported by an annual investment exceeding ₹1 lakh crore, to enhance safety infrastructure throughout the national railway network. The government aims to expand Kavach to pan-India coverage within six years, prioritizing routes with higher traffic and accident risk.

The commissioning of Kavach 4.0 on the Delhi-Mumbai route marks a transformative step for Indian Railways in harnessing domestic technology to meet international safety standards. Experts believe this move will significantly reduce accidents caused by human error and position India as a global leader in railway safety innovation.