Nagpur, 09 July (HS): Drastic reduction in wild

animals crossing the railway track being killed was achieved due to

implementation of several projects by the Indian Railways. Gajrao Suraksha, a

nationwide AI-Based surveillance system network using optical fibre cables and

AI-Powered cameras to alert loco pilots, station masters and control room.

These authorities are informed in by collecting information about presence of

elephants within half a kilometre distance allowing the trains to reduce its

speed.

Gajraj Suraksha: A much discussed Gajraj Suraksha

project claims to have brought elephant deaths to almost zero in the last few

years from an average of 20 deaths every years in the last decade.

AI camera network in Tamil Nadu deployed in sensitive

Madukkarai Forest Range is also successfully preventing elephant deaths on rail

track.

Wildlife

Underpass in Gujarat: With the expanding network of fast moving trains in

India, dedicate underpasses have been constructed along rail and expressways corridor

like Gir Protected Rea which is rich in Asiatic lion population.

Maharashtra

Initiative

Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Corridor: A 30

meter overpasses, underpasses, noise barriers, and guided fencing are being

utilised in Sanjay Gandhi National Park and Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary.

Maharashtra has pioneered comprehensive wildlife

safety measures across its dense tiger and leopard corridors. Combing

operations has been advanced and infrastructure improved with the help of the

Wildlife Institute of India.

The major projects are Wadsa-Gadchiroli project;

Kanha-Navegaon-Tadoba-Indravati Tiger Corridor to protect tigers, leopards and

sloth bear. The state has planned 39 wildlife mitigation structures.

Eco-friendly structures

have been built into the major track expansion zones, including

Darekasa-Salekasa track tripping project and the Nagbhid-Itwari guage

conversion project, both of which incorporate custom underpasses and ramp

structure to prevent animal-train collision.

AI-enabled system

AI Village Alert Systems:

The Maharashtra government approved a Rs 260 crore action plan to tackle

human-wildlife conflict. This includes setting up AI-based system across 1,000

villages near forest boundaries. Ten specialised regional control rooms to tack

movement of wild animals and sound alert to villagers.

Major

Impact

Zero

fatality in affected zone like Madukkarai forest range.

National data as PIB reported elephant death dropped

significantly from 26 to 12 as these safety measures started.

The AI system operates with a 99.5 per cent

accuracy rate in detecting lange animal presence.

Real Time Intervention

1.Over 9,400

safe wildlife crossing in just single region due to Thermal AI Network.

2.The National infrastructure generated

more than 10,000 real-time alerts over eight months.

3.The

automated warning allowed loco pilots to slow down or entirely halt trains on

3.821 times.

The steps have resulted in saving valuable wildlife by developing eco-ferndly infrastrucre and AI-powerd system.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Ajay Vasant Mardikar