Indian Railways has commissioned the Kavach automatic train protection system on the 52.5 km Agra Cantt-Dholpur section, extending safety coverage along the high-density Delhi-Bhopal-Mumbai route. The commissioning adds another protected stretch to the railway network and follows the system’s earlier operational deployment between Mathura and Agra Cantt.

The installation is also linked to plans to raise the maximum permitted train speed on the Delhi-Agra corridor from 130 km/h to 160 km/h. The Delhi-Palwal section, however, is still awaiting Kavach commissioning. Trains capable of operating at 160 km/h, including Gatiman Express and Vande Bharat services, have been running at the lower speed on the corridor for about two years under railway operating directions.

A total of 720 radio-frequency identification tags have been installed across the Agra-Dholpur section. These tags are intended to provide train-location and operational information as part of the safety system. The commissioning was overseen by Agra division Divisional Railway Manager Gagan Goyal, while the division’s public relations office described the deployment as part of Indian Railways’ wider efforts to strengthen train protection through indigenous technology.

Kavach is designed to assist locomotive pilots by monitoring train movements and supporting compliance with signalling and speed restrictions. The system can help prevent collisions, overspeeding and accidents linked to signal violations by issuing alerts and triggering safety interventions when required. Its deployment on additional sections is expected to support the gradual expansion of automatic train protection across busy railway routes.

The Agra-Dholpur section forms part of the wider Delhi-Agra rail corridor, where infrastructure and safety upgrades are being implemented to support faster services. Further speed enhancement will depend on the commissioning of Kavach on remaining sections, along with the completion of associated operational and safety requirements.