Bengaluru: As demand increases for safety enhancements, the South Western Railway (SWR) is set to bring 42% of its 3,721 route km (Rkm) network under Kavach – an indigenous automatic train protection system – by March next year.Developed by the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) in 2020, the system is designed to meet international safety standards and prevent accidents. Kavach is mandatory to operate trains above the speed of 140 kmph.It operates through continuous real-time communication between trackside systems and locomotives using ultra high frequency (UHF) radio antennae and track-mounted radio frequency identification (RFID) tags. Using this information, along with train position, speed, and track profile, the wayside system calculates the movement authority, the safe distance a train is permitted to travel, and transmits it to the onboard Kavach unit. The onboard system monitors train speed, displays critical information to the loco pilot, and generates braking curves for different operating conditions.If the train approaches a danger signal, exceeds the permitted speed, or enters a conflicting route, Kavach automatically applies brakes, preventing signal passing at danger (SPAD) and potential collisions. If two trains are detected moving towards each other, the system issues an automatic stop-on-sight command to both. Currently, it is implemented only on 2,200 route kilometres of India’s railway network.Karnataka ProgressAs of March 1, 2026, works are progressing in various sections of Karnataka to connect a total of 1,568 route km of network to the Kavach system. In this first phase of the project implementation, major busy places in the state like Mysuru, Hubballi, Arsikere and Ballari, along with Bengaluru, will be covered.The tender for the 778 route km of tracks within Bengaluru and Mysuru divisions was awarded in May last year. For the remaining 790 route km connecting Hubballi and Mysuru divisions, the process was completed in June 2025. Both stretches will become Kavach-equipped by 31 March 2027, according to SWR.During the second phase of the project, an additional 456 route km will be covered within the Bengaluru division alone. The Shantigrama–Chikkabanavara, Yelahanka–Chikkaballapura–Bangarapet, Baiyyappanahalli–Vimanpura (this is a specialised line serving the HAL airport area), Yeswanthpur–Yelahanka, the bypass line at Yeswantpur, and Baiyyappanahalli–Banaswadi sections will be part of the future expansion, for which the tender is yet to be issued by SWR.The package will also include neighbouring regions in other states. Another 806 route km in Mysuru division and 862 route km in Hubballi division are also on the cards.“We are confident that we can achieve the tentative deadlines. For the second phase, tenders could be rolled out very soon this year itself, as this is a priority for the railways,” SWR’s chief PRO Manjunath Kanamadi told TOI.GfxWhere it stands nowTotal SWR network 3,721 route kmKavach operational: 0 route kmWork in progress:1,568 route km
