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Picture Courtesy: Indian Express

Context:

The recent collision between the Rajdhani Express and a herd of elephants in Assam’s Hojai district, killing seven elephants and derailing multiple coaches has once again highlighted a persistent conservation and infrastructure challenge in India.

What are the causes behind the death of elephants on railway tracks in India?

Railway lines passing through elephant corridors: A primary cause of elephant deaths on railway tracks is the alignment of railway lines across traditional elephant migration corridors, forcing elephants to cross tracks while moving between forests, water sources, and feeding grounds. India hosts over 27,000 Asian elephants, more than half of the global population of the endangered Asian elephant, many of which depend on long-established corridors in states like Assam, West Bengal, Odisha, and Kerala.

High-speed train operations and long braking distance: Elephants are often killed because trains travel at high speeds and require long distances to stop, making collisions unavoidable once animals appear on the tracks. Data from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change shows that 186 elephants died due to train hits between 2010 and 2020, making rail accidents the second-largest anthropogenic cause of elephant mortality after electrocution. 

Poor visibility during night-time operations: Most elephant–train collisions occur at night, when visibility is severely reduced due to darkness, fog, rain, or forest cover. A 2017 study on North Bengal railways found that a majority of collisions happened during night hours, as loco pilots had insufficient time to spot elephants on curved or forested tracks. 

Absence or poor design of wildlife crossings: The lack of well-designed wildlife underpasses and overpasses significantly contributes to elephant deaths. Where crossings exist, they are often too narrow or enclosed, discouraging elephant use. Conservation studies indicate that properly designed crossings combined with fencing can reduce wildlife mortality by up to 90–98%, yet many high-risk railway stretches in India still lack such infrastructure. 

Limited deployment of early-warning technology: Although technology exists to detect elephants in advance, its limited coverage increases fatalities. AI-based thermal cameras and sensor systems can detect elephants up to 700–750 metres ahead, but these systems are currently deployed only in select stretches, such as parts of Northeast India and the Kerala–Tamil Nadu border.  

How to prevent train – elephant collision and death of elephants?

Avoidance through corridor-sensitive planning: The most effective way to prevent elephant deaths is to avoid laying new railway lines through elephant habitats and migration corridors, as recommended by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Studies show that rerouting infrastructure away from high-use corridors eliminates collision risk entirely, which is why conservation planning now emphasises early-stage environmental screening before project approval.

Construction of scientifically designed wildlife crossings: Where avoidance is not possible, wildlife underpasses and overpasses must be constructed at known elephant movement points to allow safe crossings. The IUCN’s 2023 guidelines state that well-designed crossings combined with fencing can reduce wildlife mortality by up to 90–98%, provided they are open, wide, and at least 6–7 metres high for elephants.

Strategic fencing to guide elephants: Continuous and well-maintained fencing along railway tracks prevents elephants from wandering onto rails and channels them toward designated crossing structures. Evidence from forest–railway interfaces in Assam shows that collision hotspots often coincide with unfenced stretches, indicating that fencing is a simple but critical intervention when used alongside crossings.

Regulation of train speed in vulnerable stretches: Speed restrictions significantly reduce collision severity and improve reaction time for loco pilots. On high-risk forest sections, reducing train speed to 30–40 km/h at night has been shown to lower fatal encounters, as pilots gain additional seconds to brake or alert control rooms.  

Deployment of AI-based early warning systems: Technology-driven solutions are emerging as powerful preventive tools, especially where structural changes are still pending. AI-enabled thermal cameras and sensor-based detection systems can identify elephants on or near tracks from 700–750 metres away and send real-time alerts to drivers.

What are the technological interventions to avoid elephant-train collisions?

AI-based thermal and infrared detection systems: One of the most effective technological interventions is the use of AI-enabled thermal and infrared cameras that can detect elephants on or near railway tracks even in darkness, fog, or rain. These systems can identify large animals from a distance of 700–750 metres, giving loco pilots crucial extra time to slow down or stop. In 2023, the Northeast Frontier Railway deployed such AI-based elephant detection systems in Assam and North Bengal, and early assessments showed a reduction in close-call incidents on identified hotspot sections.

Ground-based sensor networks along railway tracks: Ground-mounted sensor systems combining seismic, acoustic, and motion sensors are increasingly being used at known elephant crossing points. These sensors detect vibrations and low-frequency sounds produced by elephant movement and automatically trigger alerts to nearby signal stations and control rooms.

Integrated real-time alert systems for loco pilots: Technology now allows direct transmission of wildlife alerts to loco pilot cabins, station masters, and railway control rooms through digital dashboards and mobile-based interfaces. Once elephants are detected, automated alerts prompt immediate speed reduction or temporary halts.

Geofencing of elephant corridors

Elephants fitted with GPS radio collars provide real-time movement data that can be integrated with railway signalling systems. Through geofencing, alerts are generated automatically when collared elephants approach railway tracks, enabling pre-emptive speed restrictions on approaching trains.

What are the expert committee recommendations to prevent elephant–train collisions?

• Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL): The National Board for Wildlife, through its Standing Committee, has repeatedly recommended that railway lines passing through protected areas and elephant corridors must adopt mandatory mitigation measures, including speed regulation, fencing, and wildlife crossings. In several project clearances, the Committee has insisted on site-specific mitigation plans and continuous monitoring in elephant landscapes such as Assam and North Bengal. 

• Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) advisories: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has issued advisories highlighting train collisions as a major anthropogenic cause of elephant mortality and has recommended identification and legal protection of elephant corridors, installation of early-warning systems, and coordination between forest departments and Indian Railways. MoEFCC data showing 186 elephant deaths due to train hits between 2010 and 2020 has been used to justify stricter safeguards on forest railway stretches. 

• Wildlife Institute of India (WII) expert studies: The Wildlife Institute of India has conducted multiple studies on linear infrastructure impacts and recommended scientifically designed underpasses and overpasses at traditional crossing points, based on GPS telemetry and camera-trap data. WII has also advised night-time speed restrictions and hotspot-based management, noting that most collisions occur after dark.
• IUCN Asian Elephant Transport Working Group (2023): The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), through its Asian Elephant Transport Working Group, published the Handbook to Mitigate the Impacts of Roads and Railways on Asian Elephants in 2023. The handbook strongly recommends “avoidance first”, meaning that railways should not be planned through elephant habitats wherever possible, and states that well-designed wildlife crossings combined with fencing can reduce wildlife mortality by up to 90–98%. 

• Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) observations: While reviewing infrastructure projects, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India has highlighted gaps in environmental compliance and monitoring, indirectly reinforcing the need for better implementation of wildlife mitigation measures in railway projects passing through forest areas. These observations have strengthened calls for accountability in executing collision-prevention strategies. 

• Parliamentary Standing Committees on Railways: Parliamentary committees examining railway safety have acknowledged wildlife collisions as a safety risk for both animals and passengers, recommending improved coordination with forest authorities, adoption of modern detection technologies, and focused investment in high-risk forest stretches. 

What are the Indian Railways initiatives to prevent elephant–train collisions?

• Identification of elephant-sensitive railway stretches: Indian Railways, in coordination with state forest departments, has identified over 100 elephant-sensitive railway stretches across Assam, West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. 

• Speed restrictions in elephant corridors: Indian Railways has imposed mandatory speed limits of 30–50 km/h on trains passing through vulnerable forest stretches, particularly during night hours. On several Northeast Frontier Railway routes, speed regulation has been credited with reducing fatal collisions. 

• Coordination with forest staff: Indian Railways conducts joint night-time patrolling with forest department personnel in high-risk zones. Forest guards track elephant movement using field intelligence and camera traps and relay real-time information to railway control rooms. 

• Installation of signage and warning systems: Special elephant caution boards, reflective signage, and whistle markers have been installed along elephant-prone railway stretches. These visual cues alert loco pilots in advance, particularly at curves, bridges, and dense forest sections where visibility is poor. 

• Construction and modification of bridges as elephant underpasses: Indian Railways has retrofitted existing railway bridges and culverts to function as elephant-friendly underpasses, especially in Northeast India and North Bengal. 

Conclusion:

Elephant–train collisions are a preventable consequence of infrastructure intersecting wildlife habitats rather than unavoidable accidents. Indian Railways’ initiatives—such as speed regulation in elephant corridors, AI-based early warning systems, coordinated patrolling with forest departments, and the creation of elephant-friendly crossings—demonstrate that a technology-enabled and ecologically sensitive approach can significantly reduce fatalities. Strengthening and scaling these measures nationwide is essential to balance railway safety, development needs, and long-term wildlife conservation. 

Source:  Indian Express