Indian Railways has commissioned the Kavach Automatic Train Protection system on the Prayagraj (excluding) - Kanpur (excluding) section, covering 190 route kilometres of the Delhi–Howrah high-density corridor on 22 March 2026. The deployment was validated through trials and the system was implemented via train number 14163, with senior officers and divisional heads undertaking a footplate inspection to assess performance. The step is intended to enhance safety and operational efficiency on one of Indian Railways' most vital corridors. In the first phase, Kavach will be enabled on eight pairs of trains including train numbers 14113/14114, 14163/14164, 12307/12308 and 12417/12418, and additional services such as Vande Bharat rakes will be progressively included. The commissioning forms part of measures to permit running trains at 160 kmph and to modernise signalling and train protection infrastructure under Mission Raftaar. Passenger services such as train number 15003/15004 underwent passenger trials which demonstrated consistent and reliable performance in regular service. Extensive trials were conducted with WAP-seven locomotives hauling eight, 16 and 22 LHB coach formations and with a 20-coach Vande Bharat rake to ensure system reliability under varied operational conditions. More than 20,000 kilometres of passenger trial runs have been completed with all system validations found satisfactory, and the prior commissioning of Kavach Version four point zero covered 1,452 route kilometres on the high-density Delhi–Mumbai and Delhi–Howrah routes. The WAP-seven locomotive, a high-performance electric locomotive used for premium passenger services, featured in the validation runs. Kavach, an indigenously developed automatic train protection system under the Make in India initiative, provides automatic train protection, prevents signal passing at danger and enables automatic brake application in case of human error, thereby strengthening the safety framework. The system will be extended next to the Ghaziabad-Tundla section to support 160 kmph operations as part of ongoing efforts to modernise and improve reliability for passengers. Indian Railways said progressive deployment across the network will continue to prioritise safety and efficiency.