Guwahati: In an encouraging example of technology and wildlife conservation working together, the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) says timely interventions helped save 255 elephants from potential train collisions between January and September 2026.
The elephants were protected across four railway divisions — 122 in Lumding, 106 in Alipurduar, 15 in Tinsukia and 14 in Rangiya — through a combination of early detection, vigilance and coordination between railway personnel and Forest Departments.
AI Detects Elephants Near Railway Tracks
One of the most important tools being used is an AI-based Intrusion Detection System (IDS).
The system uses Distributed Acoustic System technology connected to optical fibre to detect elephant movement close to railway tracks. Real-time alerts can then reach railway personnel, enabling preventive action before a train reaches the vulnerable stretch.
This is particularly important in the Northeast, where railway lines pass through or close to several traditional elephant movement routes.
‘Plan Bee’ Keeps Elephants Away
NFR is also using an unusual method known as “Plan Bee.”
The system plays amplified sounds associated with honeybees at vulnerable locations. Elephants naturally tend to avoid bees, and the sound is used to discourage them from approaching railway tracks.
Trains Slowed When Elephants Are Nearby
Technology alone, however, is not responsible for the interventions.
NFR has introduced temporary and night-time speed restrictions when elephant movement is reported. Patrolling has been intensified, train crews are being sensitised, caution signs installed and vegetation cleared around vulnerable railway stretches.
Railway and Forest Department officials also maintain real-time communication so that warnings about elephant movement can be acted upon quickly.
Underpasses Provide Safer Passage
Another important part of the strategy is giving elephants a safer way to cross railway corridors.
NFR is constructing wildlife underpasses at identified locations, reducing the need for elephants to walk directly across railway tracks.
Passengers, pantry staff and railway employees are also being urged not to throw food waste beside tracks because discarded food can attract elephants and other wildlife towards railway lines.
A Much Bigger Challenge Across India
Elephant-train collisions are not restricted to the Northeast.
A nationwide assessment identified 127 sensitive railway stretches covering 3,452.4 km. Of these, 77 stretches across 14 states have been prioritised for mitigation.
Authorities have recommended 705 mitigation structures, including 65 new underpasses and 22 overpasses, along with ramps, level crossings and bridge modifications.
The government says such interventions are producing results. Elephant deaths caused by train hits declined from 26 in 2013 to 12 in 2024, a reduction of more than 50 per cent.
When Technology Becomes a Conservation Tool
The reported protection of 255 elephants demonstrates how railway development and wildlife conservation need not always be opposing forces.
AI can provide the warning. Sensors can detect movement. Train speeds can be reduced. Underpasses can provide safe crossings. And even the sound of honeybees can become part of the solution.
But technology works best when railway authorities, Forest Departments and frontline personnel respond quickly to the information it provides.
For India’s elephants, whose traditional movement routes increasingly intersect roads, railway lines and settlements, such cooperation could make the difference between a safe crossing and a fatal collision.
Saving elephants while keeping India’s trains moving is a difficult challenge — but NFR’s experience shows that intelligent planning and timely intervention can save lives.
Source: The Hawk / IANS; additional context from Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Government of India reports.
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