Kavach — the state-of-the-art indigenously developed automatic train protection system (ATPS) project — has not been implemented yet on the Howrah-Chennai line passing through at least four railway zones, although South Central Railway (SCR) has become pioneer in implementation of the much needed system over the last two years.
Indian Railway has given first priority to high density routes (HDR) and on New-Delhi-Mumbai and New Delhi-Howrah sections for 160 kmph with automatic block signaling and centralised traffic control. The reasoning is that since such sections have higher chances of human errors on part of drivers resulting in accidents as trains run closer to each other. Strangely, the Howrah-Visakhapatnam-Vijayawada-Chennai line has not been prioritised for the project.
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