While most of the country is moving ahead with ‘Kavach’, Gujarat still lags behind in adopting this crucial train safety system. In the Western Railways Ahmedabad division, the ‘Kavach’ system has been installed only on a 13.42 km stretch between Ahmedabad and Geratpur.
No other sections in the region have received this safety system yet. This was revealed through a Right to Information (RTI) query. In contrast to states such as Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Delhi — where the Kavach system has been deployed across thousands of kilometers — Gujarat has taken only a token step by installing it on a mere 13.42 km stretch in Ahmedabad.
The limited coverage suggests the state is treating the project as a trial rather than a full-scale safety measure. Interestingly, despite Indian Railways spending over ₹1 lakh crore each year on safety measures, only a small stretch in the Ahmedabad division has seen the deployment of this crucial technology over the past five years.
Western Railway has not shared how much money was spent to install the Kavach system on the Ahmedabad division tracks. Train accidents are still a big concern in many parts of the country. In such cases, safety systems like Kavach can help save lives. But Gujarat is still waiting for this system to be used on a larger scale.