We often say, it’s high time, we work towards saving our wild lives! Indian Railways along with technology has made that possible.
The Indian Railways has developed an AI-based surveillance system called Gajraj AI to prevent elephant deaths on railway tracks. The system uses optical fibre cables and an AI-based algorithm to detect elephants getting close to railway tracks and alerts the locomotive pilot of any suspicious activity near or on the rail tracks. The technology has been implemented on a 150 KM section of Assam last year and has shown to be very valuable. The system will be installed on 700 KM of route passing through forest areas in states such as Assam, West Bengal, Odisha, Kerala, Jharkhand, and some parts of Chhattisgarh and Tamil Nadu.
Elephants are an endangered species, and their population is rapidly declining due to habitat loss, poaching, and human-elephant conflict. The Indian Railways has developed Gajraj AI to prevent elephant deaths on railway tracks, which is one of the leading causes of elephant deaths in India. India harbours the highest number of Asiatic elephants, constituting approximately 60% of the total population of these majestic creatures. However, despite the presence of 32 elephant reserves, the elephant population in India is on the decline, with human activities being held accountable.
Among the various causes of unnatural deaths among elephants in India, train accidents rank second, following electrocution. Records have revealed that approximately 741 elephants have lost their lives due to contact with live wires, while 186 elephants have tragically perished on railway tracks. The railway authorities, in collaboration with select start-up ventures, have introduced advanced technology along a 150-kilometer stretch in Assam, demonstrating its significant efficacy in mitigating this issue. With the help of optical fibre cables and an AI-based algorithm the AI detects if elephants get close to railway tracks. They immediately alert the locomotive pilot, if any suspicious activity is found near or on the rail tracks.
Gajraj AI is a significant step towards protecting the wildlife and preventing accidents. The ministry announced that they have implemented enhancements to the system after gaining hands-on experience, resulting in an impressive 99.5 percent accuracy rate in detecting elephants on railway tracks. Thanks to this technology, the lives of elephants have been safeguarded. Moreover, collaborating with the forest department, officials are actively determining the project's scope. Whenever an elephant enters the railway track, an alert is triggered by the system to notify the train controller, station master, train drivers, and other relevant individuals. These stakeholders then take necessary actions to prevent any potential harm or danger.
According to government data, the statistics show that around 20 elephants lose their lives annually in train accidents across the country, with a significant number of these incidents occurring in the Northeast Frontier Railway region. The officials involved in this initiative are optimistic that its implementation will effectively mitigate and reduce the occurrence of such unfortunate incidents. The railway has installed an optical fibre cable beneath the tracks for telecommunication and signalling. This cable proves to be valuable for the installation of an Intrusion Detection System (IDS). Equipped with the OFC network, this device can detect the vibrations caused by elephants approaching the tracks. It then immediately sends an alert to the division control room and a mobile application. The system is capable of accurately detecting and locating moving elephants within a range of 5 meters from the optical fibre cable.
It is a great initiative to save lives; what’s your thought on this?
