Agartala, December 26, 2025: The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has successfully protected the lives of more than 160 elephants during 2025 by implementing a series of proactive and technology-driven initiatives aimed at preventing elephant-train collisions across its network.

Highlighting the achievement, CPRO of NFR Kapinjal Kishore Sharma said that wildlife safety remains a top priority for the railway. He stated that NFR has consistently adopted advanced technologies and coordinated measures to ensure safe train operations while safeguarding elephants moving through forest corridors.

A key initiative is the deployment of the Intrusion Detection System (IDS), an advanced Artificial Intelligence-based technology using Distributed Acoustic System (DAS) principles. The system detects elephant movement near railway tracks and instantly sends real-time alerts to loco pilots and control rooms, allowing timely preventive action.

According to Sharma, the IDS has already been commissioned in several critical elephant corridor sections under Rangiya, Alipurduar, Lumding and Tinsukia divisions, covering sensitive wildlife zones and significantly enhancing safety. He added that installation work is currently underway in multiple divisions, and once completed, the system will cover all elephant corridors under NFR, creating a comprehensive safety network.

In addition to IDS, NFR has implemented innovative preventive measures such as the ‘Plan Bee’ system, which uses amplified honeybee sounds to deter elephants from approaching tracks. Sharma noted that close coordination with the Forest Department, night-time speed restrictions, temporary speed curbs based on sightings, crew sensitisation, cautionary signage and vegetation clearance have further strengthened safety efforts.

At the national level, Sharma informed that Indian Railways is expanding the AI-enabled IDS system, initially piloted on NFR, to other zones across the country, reinforcing its commitment to wildlife conservation.

He also said that since 2017, over 2,000 elephants have been safely protected while crossing railway tracks across NFR, reflecting the railway’s sustained efforts to balance infrastructure development with environmental responsibility.