A terrible train disaster occurred in the Darjeeling District of West Bengal, leaving over 50 people injured and about 9 people dead. The Indian-made Kavach system is well-known for its ability to lessen accidents involving trains operating on the same track. On the railway rails at Rangapani, however, this system was not accessible. An oncoming freight train collided with the Kanchanjunga Express, which was headed for Kolkata, causing the disaster.
The Research Design and Standards Organisation (RSCO) in association with three Indian businesses created the in-house Kavach automated train protection (ATP) technology. Train speed is restricted by the security system, which also helps locomotive drivers see warning signs and make sure trains operate properly, especially in low-visibility situations.
Amidst the confusion, a previously unreleased video with Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw explaining the Kavach system—which has not yet been placed on the tracks—becomes widely popular.
Over 1,500 km of railroads are being served by Kavach. The objective of the Centre was to cover about 34,000 kilometres of rail network by 2022–2023 by bringing 2,000 kilometres of the network under Kavach. There are around one lakh km in the Indian railway network.
If the driver doesn't use the brakes in a timely manner, Kavach regulates the speed of the train automatically. To identify the tracks, locate the train, and determine its heading, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags are positioned on the rails, in the station yard, and at signal boxes. All trains within five kilometres will halt when the system is engaged to allow a train on an adjacent track to pass safely.
Loco pilots can see the signals even in low visibility situations caused by inclement weather because of On Board Display of Signal Aspect (OBDSA). Loco pilots typically need to glance out the window in order to see the signals. When a "red signal" is approaching, the safety system alerts the loco pilot and, if needed, automatically applies the brakes to avoid overshooting the signal.
