Last weekend was tough for our country: around 288 people lost their lives and almost 1,000 died in the Balasore train accident. This disastrous incident has brought into question the ‘Kavach’, the automatic train protection system. According to GDP reports, Kavach has been designed to help locomotive pilots avoid passing signals in distress (SPAD) and overspeeding, while also providing support for train operations during adverse weather conditions, like dense fog.
#BharatKaKavachKavach: Automatic Train Protection Systems (ATP). pic.twitter.com/2XVJYxNCoN
— Eastern Central Railway (@ECRlyHJP)
March 4, 2022
What is Kavach?
The Kavach Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system was created by the Research Designs and Standards Organization (RDSO) for the Indian Railways. A technology with Safety Integrity Level 4 (SIL-4) certification constitutes the Kavach system. In 2012, work began to develop India’s own automatic protection system or collision avoidance system as the Train Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) project. The Kavach system is being developed as part of Indian Railways’ effort to achieve zero accidents.
The most notable features of said Kavach system are the following:
- Kavach helps maintain the speed of the train with the automatic application of the brakes in any strange situation
- During foggy and high speed weather, it repeats the line side signal in the cabin and automatically whistles at the LC doors.
- Kavach works according to the principle of continuous updating of the Movement’s authority.
- Avoid collisions as many times as possible with direct locomotive communication.
- Actively use SOS to prevent any type of mishap and accident.
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Working mechanism
The system is made up of a series of electronic and RFID devices that are placed on the locomotives, the tracks, the railway signaling system and at each station up to a kilometer away. While a 4G LTE-based system is being developed, the system now uses ultra-high radio frequencies to connect with its components. When a locomotive driver jumps a signal (Signal Passed in Danger, or SPAD), which is the main reason for train accidents, Kavach sends a warning. When the system detects another train on the same line within a given distance, it can instantly warn the locomotive pilot and take control of the brakes. During inclement weather, such as fog, the device continuously monitors the train’s progress and transmits signals to the engines. The Kavach combines important elements of both the Indian anti-collision device and the European train control system.
Development
The Kavach is currently being implemented in 1,200 kilometers of the South Central Railway area, with 1,445 kilometers of tracks, 65 locomotives and 134 stops. As part of the Indian Railway’s Mission Raftar project, the Kavach automatic protection system will be upgraded to support a maximum speed of 160 kmph before it is put into use on the 3,000 km length of the New Delhi-Mumbai main line and on the Howrah-Delhi line. principal line.
The Golden Quadrilateral railway line and Kavach system were approved for rapid development in the Union Budget of India for fiscal years 2022-2023 and 34,000 km respectively.
The newly built WAG-9HH locomotives, with a maximum speed of 120 km/h, will be equipped with Kavach automatic protection systems. The sum of money spent on the development of Kavach is Rs 16.99 crore. With a completion date of March 2024, Kavach is planned for deployment on the New Delhi-Howrah and New Delhi-Mumbai routes.
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Source: ptivs2.edu.vn