Supreme Court asks for details on Railway safety measures, including the 'Kavach' system from the Center

The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought information from the Center about the safety measures, including the 'Kavach' automatic train protection system, implemented or planned by the government to prevent train accidents.

A bench headed by Justices Surya Kant and K V Viswanathan, while hearing a PIL on the issue, asked the petitioner, Vishal Tiwari to provide a copy of the plea to the Attorney General's office. The Apex court then instructed the Attorney General to inform them about the protective measures, including the 'Kavach' scheme, in four weeks when the matter has been scheduled for a subsequent hearing.

Vishal Tiwari, the petitioner stated that his petition addresses concerns regarding public safety measures, highlighting the tragic train accident in Odisha's Balasore in June the previous year, that claimed over 280 lives. He bought the Union government's introduction of a protection system aimed at preventing train collisions to the spot and stated that numerous accidents in the past resulted from train collisions.

The bench inquired if there has been an assessment of the financial impact of implementing the 'Kavach' system nationwide. It pointed out the interconnectedness of all aspects with financial considerations, noting that ultimately, any financial burden would be transferred to the passengers.

The petitioner argued that with numerous government projects underway, the safety of citizens should be a priority. He emphasized the need for the government to inform the top court about the measures taken in this regard. In addition, it urges the Centre to establish a commission led by a retired Supreme Court judge, with technical members, to assess and enhance safety parameters in the railway system. The petition has also alleged that the delayed implementation of the 'kavach' system has led to significant loss of life and public property damage, attributing it to the authorities' direct negligence and breach of duty.


The petition has requested the government to implement and enhance protective measures for preventing railway accidents, aiming to safeguard the fundamental right to life and liberty as per Article 21 of the Constitution. The plea highlighted a lax response in addressing train accidents over the past three decades, emphasizing the need for an effective safety enforcement mechanism. "The enforcement of safety mechanisms of train protection system is still not done at ground level throughout the country as it has been clearly proven that Kavach, which is an Automatic Train Protection System, was still not applied on this route…", the plea said.

In addition, the plea has stated that the installation of the 'kavach' protection system in an absolute necessity, and it should be installed at the earliest.

The petition was filed in the aftermath of the tragic Balasore train tragedy that claimed over 280 lives and injured many.