New Delhi (IANS): In a major boost to rail safety in the region, the Manpur–Sarmatanr section (93.3 km) of the East Central Railway—a critical stretch passing through Jharkhand—has officially been commissioned with the advanced Kavach 4.0 safety system.
This Jharkhand-centric corridor is part of a broader milestone achieved on Friday, where the Indian Railways commissioned a total of 472.3 route kilometres (RKms) of the indigenous Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system across three key sections.
Focus on Jharkhand & East Central Railway
The successful deployment on the Manpur–Sarmatanr section marks a vital step in securing the Delhi–Howrah trunk route.
- First Operational Run: Train No. 13305 Sasaram Intercity Express became the first Kavach-enabled service on this section.
- Safety Validation: During the inaugural run, a head-on collision test was conducted; the system successfully applied automatic brakes, stopping the train and proving its effectiveness.
- Future Expansion: Kavach is currently being installed over 4,235 RKms of the East Central Railway. This includes 417 RKms on the Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction–Manpur section, which serves Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand.
- Speed Upgrades: While the section is currently cleared for 130 kmph, works under Mission Raftar are underway to increase the speed potential to 160 kmph, backed by Kavach’s safety layer.
Nationwide Implementation Highlights
Beyond the Jharkhand section, Friday’s commissioning included two other major corridors, marking the highest-ever route kilometers commissioned in a single day.
| Section | Distance | Railway Zone |
| Manpur–Sarmatanr (JH/BH) | 93.3 km | East Central Railway |
| Vadodara–Virar | 344 km | Western Railway |
| Tuglakabad–Palwal | 35 km | Northern Railway |
With these additions, Kavach Version 4.0 is now active across 1,306.3 RKms nationwide. The Western Railway section also celebrated a milestone as the Dadar–Bhuj Sayajinagri Express became the first Kavach-equipped train to depart from Mumbai.
How Kavach Works
Kavach is an indigenous technology integrating microprocessors, GPS, and radio communication.
- Detection: It identifies if another train is on the same track within a predefined distance.
- Intervention: It alerts the locomotive pilot and automatically applies brakes if the pilot fails to respond, preventing collisions and signal passing at danger (SPAD).
