Significant efforts are being focused on enhancing the signaling system to ensure safe rail operations on Indian Railways. Following upgrades such as the color light signal system, electronic interlocking, panel interlocking, and automatic block signal system, attention is now directed towards the advanced indigenously developed Kavach system.

In February 2012, the Kakodkar Committee suggested the installation of a digital radio-based signaling system, and work on this was initiated on Indian Railways. This system has been refined and evolved into TCAS, which is currently being developed into “Kavach".

Initially, this system was implemented as a pilot project over a 250 km rail route on the South Central Railway during the 2014-15 period, and the first field test on passenger trains took place in 2015-16. Subsequent upgrades to the system were undertaken, leading to the finalization of version 3.2 in 2017-18, and in 2018-19, three vendors were approved by RDSO based on certification. Upgradation work on the system commenced in July 2020, and “Kavach” was designated as the National ATP system. By March 2022, the system had been expanded and installed over 1200 km, and due to its effectiveness, efforts were initiated to develop version 4.0, which received approval from RDSO on 16.07.24.

The Kavach system, developed using indigenous technology, has been created within a brief span of ten years. In September 2024, version 4.0 was installed and commissioned for an 108 km rail section between Kota and Sawai Madhopur, while testing has commenced on an 84 km stretch of the Ahmedabad-Vadodara section. Currently, work on loco covers and trackside installations is ongoing, with tenders issued for the loco cover tasks. Tenders have also been invited for trackside works over a total of 9090 km along the Delhi-Chennai and Mumbai-Chennai routes, as well as in automatic block sections, with an additional 5645 km from other sections set to open in November.

An installation plan has been laid out for the Kavach system by 2030. The specifications pan out as follows: 

• Motive Power Unit: Covering all units.
• Track Side Works:
  • Total works approved: 36,000 km.
  • Under the Umbrella Works authorized for 2024-25: 30,000 km.
  • Completed work: 1,548 km.
  • Current work in progress: 3,000 km.
• Tenders issued: 14,735 route km.
• Tenders anticipated for 2025-26: 17,000 km.
• Tenders expected for the years 2026-27 and 2027-28: 30,000 km.