Alert Drivers stopped train to save a herd of elephants in Assam

Maligaon, Oct 17, 2024, By Our Correspondent

In an incident on 16th October, 2024 Loco Pilot Sri J.D Das and Asst Loco Pilot Sri Umesh Kumar of train no 15959 Kamrup Express noticed a herd of elephants crossing the railway track between Habaipur and Lamsakhang station at km 166/8 – 167/0.  The train was going from Guwahati towards Lumding. The incident occurred at about 20:37 hours. The alert Loco Pilot and Assistant Loco Pilot applied emergency brakes and about 60 no’s of wild Elephants were saved from colliding with the train.

The pilots of the train were also alerted by the Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based Intrusion Detection System (IDS) that has been in operation in that section. N.F. Railway has also planned to install the Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based Intrusion Detection System (IDS) gradually in all other elephant corridors spreading over NFR. The system has already been immensely successful in saving the lives of many elephants approaching railway tracks from being hit by trains.

The Intrusion Detection System (IDS) is an eco-sustainable solution to protect elephants and improve mobility in train operations. The system is based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and existing optical fibres will be used as sensors to identify movements of wild animals at locations and alert control offices, station masters, gateman 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 40 km on either side of the main unit (i.e total stretch of 80 km). In addition to it the IDS will also help in detecting rail fracture, trespassing on railway track and alert about disaster mitigation due to unauthorised digging near railway tracks, landslides near tracks etc. 

Apart from IDS, NFR also ensures that the drivers of trains get good visibility while driving by cutting down long bushes and forest. NFR has been taking various initiatives to prevent and detect the movement of wild animals, particularly elephants, approaching railway tracks. It has conducted several meetings with the Forest Department, and a joint action force was formed by the railway and forest department. 

During the calendar year of 2023, NFR has saved a total of 414 no’s of Elephants and 383 no’s till 16th October, 2024.