Kavach implementation progressing rapidly on 3k km routes: Railway Ministry

A day after the collision of two trains in West Bengal, the Railway Ministry Tuesday said the implementation of Automatic Train Protection System, also known as Kavach, is going on in a rapid manner on 3,000 route kilometer, and once completed it will help prevent such accidents.

A goods train rammed into the stationary Sealdah-bound Kanchanjunga Express near Rangapani, 30 km from the New Jalpaiguri station in Siliguri, on Monday morning killing 10 people and injuring around 40.

The accident triggered a wave of criticism of the railways over the delay in the implementation of the Kavach.

In response, the ministry said Kavach is a very complex system involving six major sub-systems: laying optical fibre cable along the track, installing telecom towers along tracks, installing telecom equipment on these towers and on trains, setting up data centres at stations and integrating them with the signal system, installing equipment on tracks; and finally installing equipment on locomotives