General Manager Sanjay Kumar Srivastava announced on Tuesday that the Kavach upgrade had been completed on the Malkajgiri‑Kamareddy corridor, a 108‑kilometre stretch that forms part of the Hyderabad Division’s main line.
Kavach, an indigenous safety system, is designed to add a layer of protection against human error by preventing signal‑passing at danger (SPAD), overspeeding and collisions, and by supporting safer train operations during adverse weather conditions.
The South Central Railway (SCR) previously installed Kavach version 3.2 across 1,465 route kilometres; the new version 4.0 introduces several technical enhancements, including finer location accuracy, improved transmission of signal‑aspect information in large railway yards, a station‑to‑station interface via optical fibre cable (OFC), and direct integration with existing electronic interlocking systems.
During the inspection, Srivastava, accompanied by senior railway officials, toured the upgraded track and then visited Kamareddy, Medchal and Malkajgiri stations to review redevelopment works under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, checking passenger amenities and circulating‑area facilities.
Principal Chief Signal and Telecommunication Engineer P. V. Murali Krishna, Hyderabad Divisional Railway Manager Santosh Kumar Verma and other senior officers were present for the inspection, according to an SCR press release.
The rollout is expected to boost operational safety on a busy commuter corridor, offering more reliable signalling and faster response to potential hazards, and could serve as a template for similar upgrades in other SCR zones.