AI monitoring of Kovai railway tracks to prevent jumbo fatalities
The AI-based monitoring system is being implemented in two lines, and the work is already completed in one line. As many as 11 monitoring towers with thermal cameras will be installed in both lines.
Representative image
CHENNAI: Death of elephants on railways tracks due to collision with trains on the notorious Madukkarai stretch, Coimbatore, can be prevented, when the State Forest Department inaugurates an AI-based monitoring system within the next 10 days.
“The AI-based monitoring system is being implemented in two lines, and the work is already completed in one line. As many as 11 monitoring towers with thermal cameras will be installed in both lines. Out of which, 6 towers will be on A-line and the remaining will be on B-line. Of the 13-km vulnerable stretch, the department is installing the system for 9 km, which is the most dangerous,” said Srinivas R Reddy, principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF) and chief wildlife warden.
A-line is between Walayar and Ettimadai railway stations and B-line is from Kanjikode to Madukkarai stations.
Additionally, the State Forest Department will also install machine learning software to process the data of jumbo movements collected using thermal cameras, towers and physical monitoring by field staff. Based on this, AI will provide real-time detail on elephant herds coming close to the tracks, and also predict the time and the number of elephants likely to cross the railway track.
The details will be sent to field staff, district forest officers and others so that approaching trains can be warned. This will help trains to reduce speed or halt (sometimes) for the jumbos to cross safely, apart from rushing a team of forest staff at the spot.
The department, along with the Southern Railway, has constructed an underpass in Madukkarai. Work on another underpass is ongoing.
But why install it only in Madukkarai? Reddy said: “The stretch has witnessed more casualties in recent years. It’s also located in the forest area, and a water source is available in two quarries on the other side of the track. Even if the water sources were depleted in other parts, the quarries would have water throughout the year. Elephants mostly cross the tracks for water.”
Meanwhile, the department has decided to deploy drones too, on the stretch to provide additional data for the software to process so that the AI could predict accurately. Also, the department is identifying similar stretches across the State to implement the AI system based on the success of the Madukkarai project.
