NFR to instal system to avert train-elephant

SNS, SILIGURI, 20 MARCH 2023 : The NF Railway today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with RailTel Corporation of India Ltd for installation of the 'Intrusion Detection System' (IDS) to avert train-elephant collision and for disaster mitigation measures. 

According to NFR officials, the IDS is a part of the many initiatives taken by the railways to prevent and detect movement of wild animals, especially elephants, approaching railway tracks. 

The MoU was signed by GR Das, Chief Communications Engineer, NF Railway and Zakir Siddiqui, Executive Director /Eastern Region/Railtel the presence of Anshul Gupta, the General Manager of the NF Railway and Sanjay Kumar, Chief Managing Director/RailTel Corporation of India Ltd. 

"After 100 percent success of the pilot project on IDS that was undertaken by the NF Railway in the Chalsa- Hasimara section of the Dooars area under the 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 spread over the NF Railway," the NFR said today. 

The IDS is based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and existing optical fibres will be used as sensors to identify movement 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 settle sense the real time presence of elephants on the tracks. 

"The Al based software can monitor unusual movements up to a stretch of 60 km. In addition, the IDS will also help in detecting rail fracture, trespassing on railway tracks and send alerts on disaster mitigation due to unauthorised digging near railway tracks, landslides near tracks etc," the NPR said. 

"It is important to mention here that the pilot project has already been immensely successfully in saving lives of many elephants approaching railway tracks from being hit by trains," said Sabyasachi De, the Chief Public Relations Officer of the NF Railway.