Desi Slice 8: How AI-powered Tech In Indian Railways Is Saving Elephants And Human Lives
AI-Tech is enhancing human experience, saving lives and more
Photo by Gandhar Thakur: https://www.pexels.com/photo/railroad-track-running-through-green-forested-countryside-5877876/
A major train-elephant collision was averted as the Kamrup Express, train no. 15959 traveling from Guwahati to Lumding, narrowly avoided a herd of approximately 60 elephants on October 16.
The incident occurred around 8:37 PM, between Habaipur and Lamsakhang stations, when the train approached kilometers 166/8 to 167/0. The alertness of the Loco Pilot and Assistant Loco Pilot, coupled with cutting-edge technology, proved crucial in preventing a potentially devastating accident.
The train operators, following established safety protocols, immediately applied emergency brakes after being alerted by the Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based Intrusion Detection System (IDS), which is deployed along this stretch to monitor wildlife activity near railway tracks.
The IDS is an innovative eco-sustainable technology that utilizes fiber-optic acoustic sensors to detect real-time animal movements, making it a key tool in preventing collisions, especially in areas designated as elephant corridors.
Video credits: Creators, published on Youtube by Gplus on the Net
Indian Railways has taken a significant leap forward in incorporating AI technology to enhance safety and prevent animal accidents. In 2023, the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) deployed an AI-based intrusion detection system to prevent elephant run-ins with trains. This innovative solution has dramatically reduced elephant herd crashes with trains, and infrastructure destruction at scale.
The AI-Powered Solution:
The AI-based surveillance system uses acoustic sensing technology to detect foreign objects, including elephants, near railway tracks. This system:
Identifies potential hazards 30-40 minutes in advance
Generates real-time audio-visual alarms for station masters, loco drivers, and control rooms
Enhances rail transport mobility by timing speed appropriately based on animal traffic across elephant corridors
Benefits Beyond Elephant Safety:
Detects rail fractures and trespassing
Alert authorities to unauthorized digging near tracks
Identifies landslides near tracks
Facilitates timely clearance for new projects passing through wildlife sanctuaries
With 27,312 elephants, India is home to a significant pachyderm population. Assam, with 5,719 elephants, has the second-largest population after Karnataka.
A Personal Experience: Lost in the Darkness
During a recent overnight train journey from Bangalore to Goa, I faced an unsettling experience. My destination was scheduled to arrive at 330 am. As I woke up at 3 am, I found myself in pitch darkness, unsure of my location. The train had slowed down, and the eerie silence outside was unnerving.
No mobile signals, no Wi-Fi, and no announcements left me feeling disconnected and anxious. There were no lights and no signs of civilization for miles around as I peeked out the window screen. I wondered:
"Was I running late?"
"Had I missed my station?"
"Was I still hours away?"
The uncertainty was frustrating, and I wasn't alone. Fellow passengers were fast asleep, oblivious to our location.
A Simple Solution: Monochrome LCD Digital Display Boards
This experience highlighted the need for real-time information. Why not implement simple digital display boards in every coach, showing:
Next station name
Estimated arrival time
Current location
Benefits:
No need to switch on mobiles and suddenly glare into high luminous 5-inch smartphone screens in the middle of the night
Works in locations with no GPS or cell phone signals
Universal accessibility - even those without smartphones will know their location
Language options (English and regional) as the message scrolls across the panel
This is a relatively simple solution (we even built a prototype of these decades ago in our college project but it was a microprocessor-based solution). Today this technology can be AI-based, GPS-connected, and synced with the train geo-location systems so that the location info is automatically beamed at all times.
Picture:
AI-powered safety solutions and simple digital display boards can revolutionize the Indian Railways experience. Significantly advanced displays are already available on Vande Bharath trains -all we should make sure that it is also replicated in all trains so passenger safety and anxiety are reduced. By embracing technology, we can:
Prevent accidents
Enhance passenger convenience
End travel uncertainty
Owner: Sridhar Pai Tonse - Tonse Pai Academy.
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Very informative write up about IDS, which is a very good initiative to safeguard and protect wildlife. This should be immediately implemented all over the country. The installation of LCD boards in the compartments as suggested by you helps to identify the locations while travelling, especially during night times, when no one can make out anything.