Rlys introduces AI-based surveillance in elephant corridors to avert mishaps

Guwahati/Agartala: The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), which operates in the northeastern states and in seven districts of West Bengal and five districts of north Bihar, has introduced an Artificial Intelligence-based surveillance mechanism in elephant corridors to prevent jumbo deaths due to train hits.The NFR recently signed an MoU with RailTel Corporation of India Ltd for the installation of Intrusion Detection System (IDS) to avert train-elephant collision.NFR CPRO Sabyasachi De said the Railways has been taking many initiatives to prevent and detect movement of wild animals, especially elephants, approaching the tracks.Installation of IDS in important sections is one such measure. After 100 per cent success of the pilot project on IDS that was undertaken by the NFR in the Chalsa-Hasimara section of the Dooars area under Alipurduar division in West Bengal and the Lanka-Hawaipur section under the Lumding division in Assam, it has now been decided to install the system gradually in all other elephant corridors in NFR jurisdiction.De said the system is based on AI and existing optical fibres would be used as sensors to identify movements of wild animals at locations and alert control offices, station masters, gatemen and loco pilots. It uses a fibre optic based acoustic system working on the principle of dialysis scattering phenomenon to sense the real time presence of elephants on the track. The AI-based software can monitor unusual movements up to a stretch of 60 km. agencies