Image Source: Trak.in
In a remarkable effort to protect India’s iconic elephants from increasing threats posed by railway collisions, Indian Railways has adopted an innovative mix of technology and infrastructure reforms. Each year, more than a dozen elephants are tragically killed on railway tracks, prompting a multi-pronged approach integrating cutting-edge detection systems, AI-powered surveillance, and physical wildlife-friendly infrastructure. This proactive intervention aims not only to save elephants but also maintain seamless train operations in the country’s dense forest corridors.
Key Developments in Elephant Safety on Railways
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India has witnessed at least 92 elephant deaths on railway tracks between 2018-19 and 2023-24, with the official Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) data confirming 81 deaths from 2019-20 to 2023-24. Many cases likely remain unreported.
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A pioneering Elephant Intrusion Detection System (EIDS) utilizing optical fiber sensors has been trialed and deployed along railway tracks in elephant corridors. This system detects elephant footsteps at distances of 20 meters or more and provides advance warning of elephant presence up to 150-200 meters from tracks.
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The North East Frontier Railway has already installed an AI-enabled Distributed Acoustic Sensor (DAS) system over 53.7 kilometers of track, which alerts train operators and control rooms about elephant movement near the tracks, enabling timely measures to prevent collisions.
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Plans are underway to extend these sensor-based technologies to cover 1,158 kilometers of railway lines across multiple states, with an estimated investment of ₹208 crore as per recent parliamentary disclosures.
Multi-Layered Approach with Technology and Infrastructure
Indian Railways is combining smart technology solutions with physical infrastructure for holistic mitigation:
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Early Warning Systems Powered by AI and Thermal Surveillance
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Tamil Nadu’s forest department initiated an AI-based surveillance project in February 2024 in the Madukkarai forest near Coimbatore, deploying thermal and regular cameras on towers to monitor elephant movements proactively.
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This system generated over 5,000 alerts in one year, facilitating about 2,500 safe crossings and drastically reducing train-elephant collisions in the region.
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Plans are underway to expand this early-warning system to other wildlife corridors, incorporating drone surveillance and advanced sensing technologies like radar, geophones, and fiber optics.
Dedicated Wildlife Crossing Structures and Barriers
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Following a comprehensive March 2025 report by MoEF&CC and the Wildlife Institute of India, measures have been proposed for 77 vulnerable railway stretches, spanning nearly 2,000 kilometers across 14 states.
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These include 503 ramps and level crossings, 65 underpasses and 22 overpasses specifically designed for elephant crossings, along with fencing, barricades, and exit ramps.
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The Haridwar-Dehradun rail section adjoining Rajaji National Park will get naturalistic elephant overpasses to allow safe passage with the goal of doubling permissible train speeds from current 35-50 km/h to 100 km/h, enhancing rail efficiency while ensuring animal safety.
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Complementary safety features include low-voltage electric fencing and honeybee-buzzer devices, exploiting elephants’ natural avoidance of bees to deter them from approaching tracks.
Human and Wildlife Integration Efforts
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Training programs for railway personnel by the Wildlife Institute of India educate staff on elephant ecology and risk-avoidance, fostering better ground-level management.
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Collaborative efforts between forest departments and railway authorities ensure that alerts from technology systems translate into real-time actions to slow or halt trains.
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Data collected from these interventions aid long-term ecological research on elephant behavior and movement patterns, assisting in fine-tuning conservation strategies.
Challenges and the Road Ahead
Despite technological advances, challenges remain in covering vast railway networks that intersect dense forests and elephant habitats. However, the comprehensive approach combining:
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State-of-the-art sensor systems,
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Advanced AI surveillance,
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Purpose-built animal crossings,
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Ecological training for railway staff,
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Behavioral deterrents like bee sound devices,
marks a new paradigm in transport infrastructure planning with ecological sensitivity. These efforts signal India’s commitment to preserving its wildlife heritage while modernizing its transport systems.
The continued expansion and refinement of these technologies throughout key elephant corridors could serve as a global example of balancing technological progress with wildlife conservation.
Source: Economic Times, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change disclosures; Wildlife Institute of India; Tamil Nadu Forest Department reports
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