• Indian Railway has developed its own indigenous Automatic Train

Protection (ATP) Systems for enhancing safety of running trains. The system
is formerly known as Train Collision Avoidance System (KAVACH) which is
now christened as ‘KAVACH’.

• KAVACH has been adopted as our National Automatic Train Protection

(ATP) System.

• KAVACH has Cab Signalling features-useful for high speeds as well as

foggy weather

(i) Prevention of SPADs

(ii) Prevention of collisions
(ii) Control of speed at tracks having speed restrictions

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Kavach is An additional aid to the loco pilot for
➢ Continuous Speed Supervision.
➢ Displays Aspect of approaching signal in loco pilot’s cab
along with the movement authority - features-useful for high
speeds as well as foggy weather
➢ To reduce probability of train collisions in block sections and
on running lines at stations through certain non-signalling
based protections.

Movement Authority: The distance up to which train is permitted to travel

without danger.

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TPWS – ETCS Level-1

TPWS – ETCS Level-2

TCAS/IRATP/KAVACH

TCAS+ ABS+CTC
o Freight dense HDN routes, December, 2022
o Freight dense HUN routes , December, 2023
o Other Passenger HDN routes , December, 2024
o Other routes , December, 2027

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 Movement
authority,
Signal aspects Location
details
System Architecture

6
DMI BIU

Loco TCAS

Updates track side

information – Station radio
Tower
Location, Direction, modem and data
Tag type, TIN etc Speed data from converter
Pulse Generator
RFID reader for continuous
reads tag data location update
SOS, TCAS health
Stationary TCAS

SMOCIP

Interface to
STCAS

RFID TAGS
Signal, point, track
information from
relay room/auto
signal hut

NMS
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 Station TCAS – Gathers
signalling inputs & loco inputs and
transmits signalling inputs to Loco
TCAS.

STCAS

• Radio- For
communication
with Locos
Station Antenna

SM-OCIP
Radio Unit 8
8 Relay Rack
❖ Current speed of train
❖ Loco ID & Loco mode
❖ Date and Time
❖ Movement Authority
❖ Target Speed/Permitted speed
❖ Aspect of the approaching signal
along with route indicator.
❖ Distance to the approaching signal
and Type of signal
❖ Emergency messages
❖ Turn out Distance and Turn out
speed, when train is approaching to
the Point

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Total: 1465 RKM & Locos 174 (Elec: 68, DSL: 61 & EMU: 45)
Package-B
(HBL)
Nagarsol Kazipet
NSL Parbhani KZJ
PBN
Nanded
NED
Mudkhed
MUE
Nizamabad Raghunathpalli
NZB RGP
Parli
PRLI
Bidar Moula Ali
BIDR MLY
Package-C
(KERNEX)
Vikarabad SC
Sanathnagar
VKB SNF
Package A: MUE-SC-GWD-DHNE-GTL (612
RKM) & 145 RKM
Package-A Dhone
Package B: MMR(Ex.)-PBN-NED-MUE(Ex.)
(347 RKM) & 45 RKM (MEDHA) DHNE

Package C-BIDR(Ex.)-PRLI-PBN(Ex.)
Wadi
(241 RKM) & 75 RKM
WADI Guntakal
GTL
Trial Section: 86 RKMs

Reach 1: GGTronics: Ghatkesar – Wangapalli (46 RKMs)

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Reach 2: Quadrant: Moula Ali – Charlapalli and Aler – Raghunathpalli (46 RKMs)
• Station Kavach unit takes potential free inputs from interlocking

• The interface between Stationary Kavach and Interlocking system is

through vital relay interface such as aspect relays (ECRs), Berthing track
TPRs, Point status relays (NWKR & RWKR), Route checking relays
(UCR) and status of block instrument Line Clear condition.

• This interface is suitable to all types of interlocking systems but requires

additional relays (repeaters)

• Kavach can also be directly interfaced with EIs without these relays.

• The wiring has to be done in a double-cutting arrangement with parallel

contacts for each signalling input wired to TCAS. On an average, 60 nos.
non-AC immunized relays are required for one Stationary TCAS unit.

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• It shall be capable of taking minimum 256 inputs. The maximum number
of field inputs are 2048.

• There shall be provision for expansion by providing additional Input

cards or Multiple Field Input Units (FIUs).

• Based on the Field inputs required to be connected with each stationary

TCAS units.

• The requisite number of Vital Input cards/FIUs shall be procured for each
stationary TCAS.

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• The break status of potential free contact shall indicate absence of input
to Kavach as a failsafe measure.

• Type of relays interfaced to Station Kavach

• Signal Lamp Proving relays of all the signals - RECR, HECR, DECR,
HHECR & UECR – for Signal aspect status
• Point Indication relays of all the points - NWKR & RWKR – for
Position of points,
• Berthing track circuit status - TPRs,
• Status of track circuits nominated for computing train length,
• Status of block instrument Line Clear condition

• IBS & Gate unit shall not require inputs for point position, track circuits
nominated for computing train length & berthing track circuit status.

• Gate unit shall not require input for status of block instrument Line
Closed condition.
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• Kavach is interfaced with Double Cutting of Relay Inputs to avoid Signal
input is Wrongly Detected due to false feeds

• Parallel Wiring of Relay Contacts read by Stationary unit shall be carried

out - To minimize the failure of Movement Authority/out of
correspondence of signal aspect at site and Loco DMI, due to high
contact resistance of relays.

• 04 nos.of potential free contacts of relays are required for interfacing

with Kavach

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• Site survey for spare relay contacts, space in relay room, such as
availability and type of spare ECR contacts and location of ECR (at
signal post/relay room/goomties in block section) is to be done.

• Space for new opened TCAS Repeater relays in existing relay racks is
required to be identified. If space is not available then installation of new
relay rack is to be planned.

• The inputs for station TCAS are taken through the front contacts of these
TCAS repeater relays (Parallel contacts with double cutting)

• These New relays are to be wired in Data logger

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16
17
• The inputs for station TCAS are taken through the front contacts of these TCAS
repeater relays (Parallel contacts with double cutting)
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19
• Non-AC immune plug in type, style QN1, DC neutral line, 24 V, 12F/4B
contacts, metal to carbon with plug board, retaining clip & connectors
conforming to BRS: 930, IRS S34 & IRS: S 23 (as applicable)
❑ To pick up repeaters of internal relays of station TCAS.
❑ 60 Nos. per station/IB/LC Gate STCAS location

• AC immune, plug -in- type Style 'QNA1, DC neutral line, 24V, 12F/4B
contacts, metal to carbon with plug board retaining clip and connectors
conforming to BRS 931A, IRS-S60, IRS-S34 and IRS-S23 (as applicable).
❑ To pick up repeaters of relays outside station TCAS such as Lamp
proving relays of distant signal as per requirement at station

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• Remote Interface Unit (RIU) of Kavach shall be used to fetch remote
signalling functions to a nearby Stationary TCAS unit, for example from
end cabin of distributed interlocking, a nearby LC Gate, Intermediate
Block Section or Automatic Signalling section.

• RIU captures the relay inputs wired to it, multiplexes and exchanges the
data with master STCAS through dark fibre.

• It is a proprietary device of Kavach OEMs and hence cannot be used for

generic applications like any other I/O gatherer.

• RIU shall be installed if they are coming within the RF communication

coverage of station tower to maintain continuous connectivity between
STACS and Loco TCAS.

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• RIU should have provision of OFC or Quad Interface and connected to
central TCAS in a Ring network

• RIU to be provided at LC/IB locations where adequate radio signal

strength of adjacent station tower is available.

• RIU can be provided at End Cabins/Distributed Interlocking Cabins for

which concerned repeater relays are not available at station and
adequate radio signal strength of station tower is available.

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 • Kavach can also be directly interfaced with EIs without these relays.

Medha Kavach Kernex Kavach HBL Kavach

Medha EI √ √ √
Hitachi EI √ √ √
Siemens EI √ √ √
Kyosan EI Yet to be done
❑ OEMs are attempting to direct OFC interface on Proprietary protocols..

❑ Work in Mission Raftaar to progress for Kyosan EI, Conventional Discrete Relay
Interface without direct Interface. Eventually, all relay interfaces will be replaced
with OFC.

❑ Eventually, EULYNX / Universal RaSTA (Rail Safe Transport Application)

Protocols will be developed for all combinations.

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• Direct interfacing with EI, Track Length Measurement (TLM) relays (AT &
BT) to be proved physically to have accurate timings for calculating train
length and to avoid the variable delays of EI

• Two track circuit (say AT & BT in sequence in the traffic direction of train
movement) at the entry to block section shall be identified at each station
for train length measurement. The track circuits identified shall be such
that all the trains entering into a block section pass over these track
circuits

BT AT

LSS
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• Kavach Wiring Diagram and configuration detail shall form part the S&T circuit
diagrams issued by Zonal Headquarters and these documents shall be placed in
all the relay rooms and shall be treated as part of station S&T documents. This
will ensure that Kavach circuits are also altered whenever signal alterations are
carried out by the Zonal Railways. (para 3.2)

• Unavailability of repeaters ECRs for inner Distant and Distant Signal of IB: If
such IBs are available, the OFC need to be tapped at the signals and RIU can be
installed or the aspects of these permissive signal can be deduced. Zonal
Railways can choose either of these options. (para 3.5)

• Executing field units/SrDSTEs undertaking S&T work in TCAS territory should

make appropriate TCAS modifications while carrying out activities like shifting of
signals by few meters, shifting of turnout, closure of LCs, interlocking of LCs,
insertion of Key locked points on loop lines, modification of PSR. To avoid
spurious braking, non-correspondence of the Movement Authority/out of
correspondence (para 3.6)

• Existing 24V internal supply may be extended to additional relays for TCAS for
better reliability and integrity. (para 3.12)
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