Churchgate–Virar Kavach RFID rollout has 11 tags left

Western Railway has installed 2,206 RFID tags on the Churchgate–Virar suburban corridor, leaving 11 tags in its planned 2,217-tag Kavach rollout. The railway aims to complete the remaining work by March 2027.

The passive tags sit on railway sleepers and do not need batteries or a separate power supply. A reader beneath a locomotive picks up their location data, allowing onboard Kavach equipment to identify the train’s position, direction, station ID and the next tag on the route.

Using that information alongside the train’s speed, the system can calculate braking distance and apply brakes when required. Kavach is designed to prevent collisions, curb overspeeding and stop trains from passing signals at danger.

For Churchgate–Virar commuters, the installation will not mean faster local services immediately. Western Railway said the technology could support safer management of train movements and, over time, help accommodate more services. Any increase in frequency will also depend on track capacity, signalling and other infrastructure.

Western Railway said it is preparing for Kavach 5.0, which is proposed to bring signal information into the driver’s cab while conventional signal posts remain in use during the transition.