First Kavach-Equipped Locomotive Flagged Off from Visakhapatnam
Rayagada /Visakhapatnam, In a major step towards strengthening railway safety, the first locomotive fitted with Kavach — the indigenously developed Train Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) — was commissioned and flagged off today from the Electric Loco Shed (ELS), Visakhapatnam, under East Coast Railway.
Kavach, a cutting-edge safety technology developed as part of Indian Railways’ mission for zero-accident operations, is designed to avert train collisions by transmitting real-time signal information directly to the loco pilot’s cabin. The system uses encrypted wireless communication between station interlocking systems and locomotives, while RFID tags installed along the track provide precise locomotive positioning.
The Electric Loco Shed at Visakhapatnam has been allotted 186 locomotives for Kavach integration. To facilitate this, the shed has developed a 600-metre Kavach-compatible test track and installed a dedicated ‘station Kavach’ facility for trials. Marking this milestone, Shri Lalit Bohra, Divisional Railway Manager, Waltair, inaugurated the ‘station Kavach’ system and flagged off the first Kavach-enabled WAP-7 locomotive today. With this, ELS Visakhapatnam has become the first Electric Loco Shed in East Coast Railway to commission Kavach on locomotives.
Automatic protection against head-on collisions. Prevention of signal-passing incidents and over-speeding. Real-time signal and interlocking updates in loco cabs. Automatic speed regulation as per signal aspects. Encrypted, uninterrupted wireless data communication. Continuous guidance to loco pilots, enabling safe operations at higher speeds.
Railway officials said the introduction of Kavach will significantly enhance safety and operational efficiency in the region, marking a new chapter in Indian Railways’ pursuit of technological self-reliance.
Reported by Gouri Shankar Pattnaik
