Mumbai is set to become the first city in India to implement the advanced Combined Communication-Based Train Control (CBTC) system, featuring the Kavach-4 embedded safety technology.

This transformative upgrade is poised to revolutionise the city's suburban rail system. The advanced technology will not only improve safety measures but also significantly boost train frequency within the next three years.

The new CBTC Kavach system will cut the headway between trains from the current three minutes to just 2.5 minutes. This reduction is expected to significantly increase train frequency, doubling the number of services over the next three years and providing much-needed relief to the city’s 7.5 million daily commuters. Already, the interval between trains has been reduced by 30 seconds, enhancing capacity during peak hours.

Mumbai’s suburban railway, operated by both Central and Western Railways, covers 319 kilometres and manages over 3,000 services. With the CBTC system, the gap between trains will decrease to 150 seconds, further alleviating overcrowding. Additionally, the Western Railway is upgrading its 12-coach trains to 15-coach models starting October 1, 2024, boosting capacity and comfort.