New Delhi: Indian Railways’ East Central Railway (ECR) zone will install the 'Kawach' system for the smooth running of trains that pass through the zone.
Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Budget 2022 had announced the installment of indigenously-developed anti-collision technology 'Kawach'.
ECR’s chief public relations officer (CPRO), Virendra Kumar told the publication Hindustan Times that the system will be installed on the Pt Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction in the Gaya-Dhanbad Grand Chord route.
To install the system, a tender has been floated over an estimated cost of Rs 151 crore, according to the HT report.
“The 408-km-long Pt Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction - Gaya-Dhanbad Grand Chord route is an important and busiest railway route in our country covering 77 station and 79 level crossing gates. The division permits speed up to 130 km per hour," Kumar told the publication.
In the Budget speech, the Nirmala Sitharaman also announced that 400 new-generation Vande Bharat trains with better energy efficiency and passenger riding experience will be developed and manufactured during the next three years.
What’s Kawach announced in Budget 2022?
Train Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) is an indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection (ATP) System meant to provide protection to trains against Signal Passing at Danger (SPAD), excessive speed, and collisions.
Made under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, 2,000 km of the network will be brought under Kavach, the indigenous world-class technology for safety and capacity augmentation in 2022-23.
How will the system work?
Known as an anti-collision device (ACD) network, KAWACH is based on radio communication, microprocessors, and Global Positioning System (GPS) technology. The technology will help Indian Railways achieve the goal of 'zero accidents'.
When mounted on two approaching trains, the technology would enable them to assess accurately each other’s course and initiate an ‘automatic’ braking action, in case they were perceived to be on 'collision risk'.
Apart from this, the new Vande Bharat and KAWACH announcement will change the passenger experience. There are funds for the redevelopment and modernization of stations.
These new train sets are going to be made of light-weight aluminum, as opposed to steel, making each around 50 tonnes lighter in weight, consuming much less energy than their steel counterparts, she informed Parliament.
The railways aim to run these trains on at least 75 routes by August 15, 2023, as announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day speech.