Indian Railways turns to AI after tragic elephant-train crash
After a heartbreaking accident on December 20—where a train in Assam's Hojai district hit a herd of elephants, reportedly killing seven or eight and causing derailment—Indian Railways is stepping up its game.
They're expanding their AI-based Intrusion Detection System (IDS) across another 981km in the Northeast to help prevent this kind of tragedy.
How does this tech actually help?
The IDS uses acoustic sensors and AI cameras to spot elephants, lions, or tigers near tracks.
It sends early warnings to train drivers and control rooms up to half a kilometer ahead so trains can slow down or stop in time.
Since 2022, it's been running as a pilot on some routes in the Northeast Frontier Railway.
What's next for the project?
With this expansion, IDS will cover over 1,100km through key wildlife corridors in Alipurduar, Lumding, Rangiya, and Tinsukia divisions.
The goal is to finish by April 2026—helping keep both animals and trains safe moving forward.