Why in news?
The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) announced in late October 2025 that it is expanding its optical fibre‑based Intrusion Detection System to prevent elephant–train collisions. Trials have been completed on four sections in Assam, and the railways aim to cover over 64 kilometres of elephant corridors by April 2026.
Background
India has among the highest rates of train‑related elephant deaths. Railway tracks criss‑cross more than a hundred elephant corridors, particularly in the Northeast. Conventional measures such as speed restrictions and watchmen have limited effectiveness. In 2022 the NFR tested a sensor system using fibre‑optic cables buried along the tracks. Vibrations caused by elephants moving nearby create minute changes in the light signals within the cable. These changes are analysed by software and, if consistent with an elephant’s gait, they trigger alerts in a control room.
How the system works
- Sensor cables: Fibre‑optic cables run parallel to the tracks. When an elephant or other large animal approaches, its footsteps cause vibrations that alter the light travelling through the fibre.
- Real‑time alerts: Algorithms distinguish animal movement from trains or human activity and send real‑time alerts to the section controller. Train drivers can then slow down or halt to avoid a collision.
- Trial sections: The system has been installed along the Madarihat–Nagrakata section in West Bengal and the Habaipur–Lamsakhang–Patharkhola–Lumding, Kamakhya–Azara–Mirza and Titabar–Mariani–Nakachari sections in Assam, covering over 64 km of elephant corridors and 141 km of block sections.
- Rollout plan: NFR plans to extend the network across all vulnerable corridors by April 2026, integrating it with control rooms for prompt response.
Significance
- The technology promises to drastically reduce elephant mortalities on railway lines, addressing a major conservation concern.
- By preventing collisions, the system also reduces train delays and damage to rolling stock, improving passenger safety and operational efficiency.
- Successful deployment demonstrates the potential of modern sensing technology to promote coexistence between infrastructure and wildlife.
- Other railway zones and countries with similar human–wildlife conflicts may adopt the system, making it a model for conservation‑oriented engineering.
Conclusion
The optical fibre Intrusion Detection System illustrates how innovative technology can protect wildlife while supporting development. Continued monitoring, maintenance and expansion will be essential to realise its full benefits.
Source: Hindustan Times