Letters to the Editor: NFR’s AI-based surveillance in elephant corridors

NFR’s AI-based surveillance in elephant corridors

It is a good initiative by the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) that the department will introduce artificial intelligence-based surveillance in elephant corridors in the north-eastern states. In this regard, the NFR has already signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the RailTel Corporation of India Limited for the installation of an intrusion detection system (IDS) to avert train-elephant collisions and have disaster mitigation measures.

The system is based on artificial intelligence, and existing optical fibres would be used as sensors to identify the movements of wild animals at locations. And thus, the control offices, station masters, gatemen, and loco pilots will get information about the presence of wild animals near the track and become alert to control the situation within a short period of time and save the lives of wild animals before collision with the train.

No doubt, such types of initiatives by the NFR are really adorable and praiseworthy for their concern for the security of wild animals, especially elephants. According to media reports, Assam is home to 5,719 elephants, but unfortunately, a number of elephants have been killed in the last couple of years due to collisions with running trains. Moreover, the media reveals that in the year 2021, 71 elephants, including calves, were killed in Assam, mainly due to train hits, poisoning, electrocution, and other accidents.

Rupak G. Duarah,

Rajahnagar, Guwahati-40